Rogers Deploys SeaChange Solution for Dynamic VOD Ads

SeaChange International has announced that Rogers Communications in Canada is using its solution to dynamically insert advertisements into Rogers On Demand program streams during mid-roll breaks. The vendor is billing the deployment as "a first among television operators in North America."

Dynamic VOD ad insertion allows operators to almost instantaneously deliver new ads to VOD content. This would potentially help boost of the appeal of VOD ads buys for movie studios, retailers and other sponsors with time sensitive campaigns that might not have used VOD in the past.

At Rogers, dynamic mid-roll insertion of ads and pre-roll insertion of content promotions, triggered by SCTE 130 cues, began last month, SeaChange reports. Rogers is expected to implement the solution across its cable markets later this year.

For the dynamic VOD ad insertions, Rogers deployed SeaChange's Advertising Decision Manager.

"Rogers demonstrates the advantages of running an open video environment to enable multi-vendor collaboration and new opportunities like dynamic ad delivery," said Aseem Bakshi, general manager, advertising, at SeaChange in a statement. "Over 50 million cable subscribers have access to on demand services, representing vast untapped potential for targeted promotions and advertising in North America."

Rogers is a long-time customer of Seachange's VOD solutions, having launched its VOD operations with SeaChange software and systems in 2000.

Currently, SeaChange's back office and disk and flash memory based video servers deliver approximately a half-billion streams annually to Rogers subscribers. In addition, the Canadian operator also uses SeaChange's VODlink set-top box client software and the vendor's AssetFlow Management System, which automates the workflow and lifecycle of content going into the on-demand service.