New digital platform All 4 introduces personalised ad insertion in the live stream to boost revenues and customer engagement

Channel 4 has selected a solution by Yospace, the leading name in dynamic advertisement replacement, to introduce personally targeted video ads across all of its online content.

Earlier this month, the broadcaster announced that it was moving away from traditional linear ad feeds across its digital properties in favour of dynamically served, targeted ads. Channel 4 will replace its pre-scheduled blocks of inventory, with tailored and targeted live video advertising, which will be available to buy programmatically by the end of the year.

The solution from Yospace provides unique in-stream ad replacement with seamless transitions to and from the advertising.  Insertions are performed server-side, so the viewer will see an uninterrupted stream, while being presented with ads that are customised according to their unique user profile.  By ensuring seamless and transparent splicing, the consumer perceives a broadcast quality service, but with advertising of such relevance that they stay with the stream.

The recent agreement with Yospace is part of the second phase of the All 4 launch – the broadcaster’s new online destination that presents all of Channel 4’s linear channels, digital content and services in one place, for the first time. All 4, the offering’s new brand identity for its digital platform, initially introduced ad insertion for VOD, and will now use the Yospace solution to launch personalised ad insertion into the live stream.

Jonathan Lewis, Head of Digital Innovation and Partnerships, said: “For Channel 4’s registered viewers, the All 4 experience is becoming even more personalised.  We have leading audience insight capabilities and a database of more than 12 million viewers who can access a bespoke set of content and related experiences.  This ethos is increasingly carried throughout our advertising, and the Yospace solution will enable us to deliver personalised ads to both individuals and specific groups seamlessly into the live stream.

“Our programmatic launch has also opened up a host of opportunities around what we do with our live feed generally – and we’re currently exploring what place dynamic ad serving could have on the big screen.”

Channel 4’s online revenues have tripled in the last five years and continue to show strong growth driven by product and data innovation. The latest figures from Yospace show that deployments of its technology has brought view-through rates for dynamic advertisement replacement up to 98.7% for broadcasters.  With the ability to incorporate interactive functions in the online advertising, such as clickable overlays, engagement is driven even further.

Yospace CEO, Tim Sewell said: “Our technology is already driving substantial advertising views for a growing number of broadcasters, and is ideally suited to Channel 4’s requirements.  We are delighted to be working with such an esteemed broadcaster who already leads the field in providing the most personalised viewer experience.  Our solution will enable it to leverage its extensive user database to really maximise revenues through personalised and seamless live ad insertion.”

“A solution like this will only work if it’s reliable and stable enough to cope with major TV audiences, as potentially millions of viewers will tune in at the same time. Another fundamental requirement is flexibility.  Timings of the ad breaks in live programming are often fluid, so ad replacements have to be applied on-the-fly, in real-time, and with scale.”

The Yospace solution is robust and proven in the most demanding live environments, and scales to meet the demand of very large concurrent audiences.  Broadcasters and online content providers can use tailored, dynamic ad insertion to make digital services financially viable and build better audience relations.