Imagine to debut Aviator monetisation platform at NAB 2022
Imagine Communications has introduced Imagine Aviator, the first truly cloud-native platform that enables broadcasters, MVPDs and digital-first providers to plan, make and monetise premium-quality linear and OTT content from a single, unified platform. It will make its debut at the 2022 NAB Show.
Aviator is designed to enable media companies to optimise ad delivery, improve the revenue of otherwise under-monetised OTT content and generate greater profitability from their media assets. Architected for an ever-evolving future, Aviator offers flexible subscription and SaaS purchase options that suit new business models and an agile, cloud-based design that allows media companies to continue to deliver and monetise content no matter how consumer viewing habits change.
“We understand the challenges and complexities that premium brands have in today’s fluid media landscape,” said Rob Malcolm, chief product officer at Imagine Communications. “With Aviator, we are bringing together our experience and intellectual property in a unique, cloud-native platform that maximises monetisation of content across broadcast and OTT platforms today ― and readies media companies to adapt and thrive no matter what the future holds.”
Aviator combines the capabilities of scheduling, rights management, channel origination, live events, VOD, ad sales, ad placement, ad serving, campaign management and more into a single cloud platform. It creates a converged solution that delivers linear programming and video-on-demand content with ads and triggers for local and dynamic ad insertion, making it easier for media companies to successfully monetise broadcast, OTT, FAST, pop-up and VOD content. Providing fully automated operation of thematic channels, the new platform also guarantees high audio and video quality on all outlets and supports the demands of premium services.
Running in the public cloud, Aviator requires only a web browser and internet connection to securely access and operate all aspects of the platform, placing control at the operators’ fingertips wherever they are based – at the office, a remote location or when working from home. It can run either in a media company’s own cloud account, or in Imagine’s SaaS environment, where it is monitored, managed and maintained by Imagine.
At launch, Aviator will include all the capabilities required to solve the complex needs of delivering premium-quality, sophisticated linear channels with unified origination – originating broadcast and OTT linear streams from a single playlist supporting ad insertion. Its ability to integrate content acquisition from live streams, file sources such as video clips, audio and captions makes Aviator suitable for delivering live sports, news and scheduled and unscheduled live events workflows.
“We will continue to add functionality on an aggressive roadmap schedule,” Malcolm added. “Later this year, we will expand the Aviator platform’s monetisation capabilities to allow media companies to sell their own ad inventory rather than limiting them to only plugging in a demand-side platform to fill available inventory. This will enable media companies to maximise their yield, which in turn allows them to afford more premium content rights.”
At the heart of Aviator is Imagine’s ‘audience-first’ ad placement engine, which will allow media companies to sell inventory by audience, by context, or by spot – regardless of the platform or delivery mechanism. New functionality will enable media companies to maximise revenue by targeting commercials to audiences accurately; delivering CPM/CPI-style metrics across all platforms, including broadcast; and monetising scenarios that are difficult to plan in advance, such as extra time in sporting events and breaking news programming.
Malcolm continued: “As consumers find more ways to watch, the efficiencies of cloud play an important role, making it easier for media companies to address broadening advertising opportunities and create highly impactful and dynamic channels with genuine appeal to viewers. Some aspects of the TV landscape remain uncertain, but making content available on all screens in a way that allows our customers to achieve their full revenue potential requires convergence of content planning, origination and monetisation. And that is exactly what Aviator makes possible.”