Viamedia, EMX and Advertisers from CTV Media Announce Successful Live Market Trial Delivering Digital Programmatic Ads into Live Cable TV on WOW!'s Columbus System

NEW YORK, Dec. 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- EMX,  a leading marketing technology company and digital media exchange, and Viamedia, a leading cross-platform local video advertising company, announced today the successful trial of QTT™, Viamedia's cloud-based patent pending advanced television advertising product which is the first to use digital standards to programmatically request and receive ads from a digital ad exchange to enable live linear cable television ad insertion in real time utilizing existing cable TV ad insertion infrastructure.

During the first market trials of QTT™ in WOW!'s Columbus, Ohio system, EMX's ad exchange responded to QTT™ ad requests to fill 30 second commercials allocated to WOW!'s cable TV network local ad breaks. Advertisers involved in market trials were from ENGINE, EMX's parent company, as well as CTV Media, a local ad agency based in Columbus. The goal is to increase linear ad rates and cable TV revenues, all with the participation of digital programmatic players.

In an industry first for programmatic TV, over the last eight weeks, Viamedia's QTT™ has utilized customizable business rules to identify thousands of data-driven targeted ad breaks in cable television and made real time IAB standard VAST standard ad requests to EMX's ad exchange. EMX's ad exchange processed and fulfilled the QTT™ VAST requests with VAST responses that QTT™ was able to automatically read and process, allowing for the insertion of brand-safe commercials originating from a pre-existing industry standard programmatic platform, that were then inserted into a linear cable television program in real time without a pre-set schedule and without the need for any upgraded set boxes. Using the latest in programmatic real time bidding (RTB) technology, the solution ensured a seamless user experience for the viewer while delivering the highest performing audience segment to the advertiser.

Michael Zacharski, CEO, EMX said, "Our exchange was built with the future of TV in mind. We have been investing in both our supply assets and demand solutions to help clients capture the right audience at the right time, across any device. Through our partnership with Viamedia, we are excited to lend the capabilities of our sophisticated technology platform in bridging linear TV and programmatic digital media. We are now working to further scale access to linear TV for our managed clients and then across our demand platforms and to programmatic buyers in 2020."

Mark Lieberman, CEO, Viamedia said, "We believe that QTT™ can raise the boat for the entire advertising industry, benefitting the digital demand side in accessing premium linear cable TV inventory while using current workflows and ad insertion technology. By partnering with EMX, CTV Media and WOW!, the initial QTT™ market trial represents an important step in marrying the fast growing $17 billion digital video advertising marketplace with the attractive $6 billion cable TV marketplace."

By matching audience characteristics to targeting parameters, the live market trial demonstrated that targeted linear cable television is now ready and available with the same ease of use expected by programmatic traders and television advertisers, alike. "The ease of integrating local television for our clients through our programmatic platforms is an indicator of the convergence to come, it's an exciting time for all of us in the industry," said Kyle Kreuger, SVP, media planning, ENGINE.

"CTV Media has prided itself on being at the forefront in providing advanced advertising TV solutions for our national and regional clients," said Kathy Dixon, president of CTV Media. "Viamedia's QTT™ now makes it possible for us to include linear cable TV in that solution set programmatically."

"WOW! has always sought to ensure a great subscriber viewing experience while growing TV advertising revenue," said Misty Jensen, vice president, advertising sales, for WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone. "We are excited to have successfully participated in Viamedia's QTT™ market trial and look forward to rolling out QTT™ in other markets."

Working with a myriad of demand side partners, Viamedia intends to rollout QTT™ throughout its footprint across the country in Q1 of 2020 and then make QTT available to non-Viamedia MVPDs in the second half of 2020.

ABOUT VIAMEDIA
Headquartered in New York City, Viamedia provides a comprehensive audience and impression-based local video and digital advertising platform. As part of the platform, Viamedia has exclusive cable TV ad inventory from more than 60 Cable TV Distributors in 34 states across 72 DMAs, offering advertising on cable TV networks to more than 6,000 local, regional and national advertisers. Viamedia also offers those advertisers a complimentary suite of impression-based digital products including Viamedia's proprietary QTT™, OTT, mobile, display, email, search, and social, in those DMAs and beyond. Viamedia's success is built on its proprietary software, people and processes.

For more information, please visit www.viamediatv.com.

ABOUT EMX
EMX is a leading marketing technology company, leveraging a patented, end-to-end tech stack purpose-built to meet the demands of today's digital marketplace. The company creates both open and closed-loop solutions designed to unify advertisers, platforms and publishers across digital media channels — including Advanced TV, Video, Display, Search & Social. While recognized as an independent solutions provider for the digital media landscape, EMX also serves as the technology and programmatic division for its parent, ENGINE — a global data-driven marketing company serving advertising's most recognized brands.

ABOUT ENGINE 
ENGINE is a global, full-service media and marketing services company that unites culture and commerce to move brands forward faster. We are: Driven by data. Fueled by imagination. Powered by technology. Founded in 2005, ENGINE has global headquarters in New York and 16 offices across North America, the UK, Europe and Asia-Pacific. ENGINE empowers clients to outperform in the present and win in the future with its vast range of marketing solutions including – insights, creative, media, data and technology. Find out more at enginegroup.com and follow @engineworldwide.

About WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
WOW! is one of the nation's leading broadband providers, with a service area that passes over three million residential, business and wholesale consumers. WOW! provides service in 19 markets, primarily in the Midwest and Southeast, including Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina, Florida and Georgia. With an expansive portfolio of advanced services including high-speed Internet services, cable TV, phone, business data, voice, and cloud services, the company is dedicated to providing outstanding service at affordable prices. WOW! also serves as a leader in exceptional human resources practices while providing high standards for employee relations and business practices, recognized by the National Association for Business Resources' Best & Brightest Company to Work For award for five years since 2014. Visit wowway.com for more information.

About CTV
CTV Media is a pioneer in data-driven media solutions. CTV Media's foundation was built on local cable and has evolved into guiding our agency partners across all video platforms and technologies with no bias. CTV Media provides analytics and optimization that result in precise targeting and improved ROI. CTV Media simplifies execution while providing bottom line results. To learn more about CTV Media, please visit CTVMedia.com.

SOURCE Viamedia

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