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Blockchain-powered digital supply chain for the Global Entertainment Industry

November 12, 2018 | 17 views

Learn how Vuulr is transforming the Global Entertainment and Sports Content Marketplace in 90 seconds.

Spotlight

Narcity Media

Narcity Media is a digital only media publication that owns and operates NARCITY.COM & MTLBLOG.COM, two digital properties focusing on connecting users to their city through relevant and influential content. Combined, our network reaches over 16 million millennials monthly on our web properties in the US and Canada and engage over a million millennials daily through our social channels.

OTHER ARTICLES
TECHNOLOGIES,VIRTUALIZATION

Discord: A Novel Medium for B2B Marketing

Article | August 2, 2022

Discord is a real-time chat platform where anyone with a community can interact. Users can talk to others in the community on special channels and get invites to join different servers. Many people prefer to reach out to online customers through social media, but messaging apps like Discord have 20% more monthly active users than traditional social media platforms. (Business Insider) Discord generates revenue through premium subscriptions and game distribution. It does not use advertisements. However, it can help marketers through its community that grows with video, voice, text communication and more. Let us look at how: Helps Build a Moderated Community You can set up a Discord server as a moderated social discussion platform. Create different channels based on your audience’s preference and allow them to bond. And as your community grows, so will the popularity of your business. Word-of-mouth marketing is still very effective. Connects Your Brand with Like-minded Audience You can also meet others who share your interests on various Discord servers. When you know what you're looking for, finding relevant servers is simple. Check with your team members, and your community, and join those groups. There, you'll meet other business owners and pursue collaboration opportunities. Allows Sharing Relevant Industry Content Share your website articles and other industry updates on Discord. You can take the advantage of your employees’ social media presence because they are linked to a single server. They'll spread the word about the articles through other Discord servers and their personal social media accounts. It will assist you in gaining authority among your target audience. Another way to market your company is to post branded memes, GIFs, and funny screenshots. Helps Offer Great Customer Service People expect prompt service, and because Discord delivers messages in real-time, you can address issues as they arise. You can easily send direct messages to members and have private conversations with them. Parting Words Although Discord is primarily a messaging app for individuals, it also has many advantages for B2B marketing. Discord is ideal for community management and true engagement.

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SOLUTIONS,BUSINESS

B2B Movie Placements: What to Expect?

Article | July 7, 2022

As films evolved into the popular medium that they are today, brands followed suit. They took advantage of a large network of new ways to market, from print media to radio to television. Product placement, a part of branded entertainment marketing, became more common from the 1980s. Today, every moviegoer is familiar – sometimes painfully – with paid product placements. And every marketer has heard commentary on both good and bad B2C product placements. But what about B2B movie placements? Ever heard of those? If you are a B2B enterprise looking to try it out, here are some major differences between B2C and B2B movie placements: Impress the producers Create an enticing pitch for the producers, which can influence them enough to bring them to the creative department. Sell your brand or product to them (indirectly) to help them understand how it will improve the realism of their scene or set. Make them realize how your product or service can help them. Placement isn’t always ‘placement’ Prospective B2B buyers aren’t going to squint their eyes to find your product while watching a movie. However, they might actually remember your brand if you host pre-opening events around the world for them and their families to watch a popular movie. If they enjoy the movie and establish an emotional connection with it, they will definitely think of you while making any kind of purchase decision. Things might not work out No matter how hard you try to show your brand in a good light in a certain scene or situation, sometimes things happen that you can't control or ignore. In such cases, you might have to get all the branding out instead of settling for negative publicity, which could be a viable option for a B2C brand. B2B Movie Placement: A Success Story FLIR, a client of Hollywood Branded, is the leading provider of thermal military camera equipment. It co-starred in one of Warner Brothers' biggest hits of 2018, Rampage. FLIR connected with the right member of the production team and ensured that the brand was pictured in a positive light. FLIR shared its technology with the filmmakers and got advertised to its business customers, mostly film-loving decision-makers, through the movie and the way it was shot. The film earned $427M at the worldwide box office.

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TECHNOLOGIES

Branded Entertainment in B2B: Why is it Important?

Article | February 14, 2022

Global B2B companies churn out content pieces such as infographics, case studies, assessments, and other forms of thought leadership content to create brand awareness. But is this content enough to engage the customers and the market? Not really. Marketers like you need to look into branded entertainment to get more customer engagement and brand loyalty. What is Branded Entertainment? Adweek loosely describes “branded entertainment” as any content that starts a positive conversation around a product, service, or set of values. This content builds a story around your product or services, showing it in a positive light and getting the audience to engage in your content as much as a film or a TV show. As opposed to other marketing endeavors, branded entertainment doesn’t focus on your products and their features but on entertaining the audience. Incorporating Branded Entertainment into Your Marketing Strategy Here are some ways to get it done without much hassle: Web Series Original programming, such as web series published on the brand’s social media channels, can help you raise awareness through stories that share your brand’s values instead of directly marketing your product or services. PR Stunts Create social media brand content that is entertaining and exciting enough for the audience to make it viral. Such PR brings positive media attention to your brand and creates mass awareness for your brand or product. Videos Volvo's entertaining video of Van Damme's split stunt on YouTube has 114.5 million views. The video didn't need a call-to-action because it wasn’t to convert leads. Instead, it was meant to showcase a piece of business-use truck technology and get engagement. Podcasting GE used podcasting for advertising twice, once with its show ‘The Message’ and again with its new series ‘LifeAfter.’ Neither show discusses GE's products. Instead, they were "GE-presented" and were received well. Summing It Up People are less likely to comment on or share brand posts directly, but they are more likely to tweet or share them on their Instagram stories. This way you can measure the impact of branded entertainment. B2B marketers should consider branded entertainment as a way to build trust and start conversations between their brands and their audience to get a long-term ROI.

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SOLUTIONS,BUSINESS

Driving ROI of Your B2B Marketing with Entertainment

Article | July 7, 2022

B2B companies are harnessing entertainment to drive their marketing ROI. They are using strategies that meet the changing needs of B2B customers and take advantage of how technology is improving. Let us examine the top five entertainment marketing strategies that can get engagement for your B2B content: On-Demand Content Rules B2B corporate Salesforce recently announced a new streaming service—Salesforce+—that exclusively caters to businesses. If you want to try something like this, you don’t need to create a new streaming platform. Instead, you can use your social media accounts to share unique content that your target audience will find interesting. Presentation Shouldn’t Be a Priority Your B2B audience isn’t any different from the audience that consumes basic TikTok videos, reality TV shows, or YouTube clips that don’t have the best scripts. Any grippingly human content presented on popular channels of entertainment appeals to the viewer and can influence their buying decisions. Harness User-generated Content Harness user-generated content like videos, reviews, and testimonials. When your customer tells your brand’s story or how your brand helped them solve their problems, the content is engaging and authentic for your prospects and influences their purchase decisions. Additionally, such content receives high engagement and improves your brand’s reputation. Relevance Wins Hearts If the content you are producing is entertaining and engaging, addresses the pain points and demands of your target audience, and is timed perfectly to match the dynamic market needs, your prospects might relate to your brand better and avail your product or services. Create Immersive Experiences Through Events With the help of experience experts Boost Experiential, Google created an Event Series to target small businesses in the U.S. They led a nationwide initiative to offer educational seminars and coaching to small businesses. They held events in 50 states and introduced Google’s tools to thousands of business owners. As a result, they have got more than 50, 000 small businesses online. Entertainment Could Be a B2B Trend for 2022 Create valuable, memorable, entertaining, and engaging content addressing customer pain points. Make it available to your target audience through popular channels like streaming sites, social media, webinars, live events and more to get your marketing ROI.

Read More
TECHNOLOGIES,VIRTUALIZATION

3 Applications of AI in the Entertainment Industry

Article | August 2, 2022

Discord is a real-time chat platform where anyone with a community can interact. Users can talk to others in the community on special channels and get invites to join different servers. Many people prefer to reach out to online customers through social media, but messaging apps like Discord have 20% more monthly active users than traditional social media platforms. (Business Insider) Discord generates revenue through premium subscriptions and game distribution. It does not use advertisements. However, it can help marketers through its community that grows with video, voice, text communication and more. Let us look at how: Helps Build a Moderated Community You can set up a Discord server as a moderated social discussion platform. Create different channels based on your audience’s preference and allow them to bond. And as your community grows, so will the popularity of your business. Word-of-mouth marketing is still very effective. Connects Your Brand with Like-minded Audience You can also meet others who share your interests on various Discord servers. When you know what you're looking for, finding relevant servers is simple. Check with your team members, and your community, and join those groups. There, you'll meet other business owners and pursue collaboration opportunities. Allows Sharing Relevant Industry Content Share your website articles and other industry updates on Discord. You can take the advantage of your employees’ social media presence because they are linked to a single server. They'll spread the word about the articles through other Discord servers and their personal social media accounts. It will assist you in gaining authority among your target audience. Another way to market your company is to post branded memes, GIFs, and funny screenshots. Helps Offer Great Customer Service People expect prompt service, and because Discord delivers messages in real-time, you can address issues as they arise. You can easily send direct messages to members and have private conversations with them. Parting Words Although Discord is primarily a messaging app for individuals, it also has many advantages for B2B marketing. Discord is ideal for community management and true engagement.

Read More
SOLUTIONS,BUSINESS

Driving ROI of Your B2B Marketing with Entertainment

Article | July 7, 2022

As films evolved into the popular medium that they are today, brands followed suit. They took advantage of a large network of new ways to market, from print media to radio to television. Product placement, a part of branded entertainment marketing, became more common from the 1980s. Today, every moviegoer is familiar – sometimes painfully – with paid product placements. And every marketer has heard commentary on both good and bad B2C product placements. But what about B2B movie placements? Ever heard of those? If you are a B2B enterprise looking to try it out, here are some major differences between B2C and B2B movie placements: Impress the producers Create an enticing pitch for the producers, which can influence them enough to bring them to the creative department. Sell your brand or product to them (indirectly) to help them understand how it will improve the realism of their scene or set. Make them realize how your product or service can help them. Placement isn’t always ‘placement’ Prospective B2B buyers aren’t going to squint their eyes to find your product while watching a movie. However, they might actually remember your brand if you host pre-opening events around the world for them and their families to watch a popular movie. If they enjoy the movie and establish an emotional connection with it, they will definitely think of you while making any kind of purchase decision. Things might not work out No matter how hard you try to show your brand in a good light in a certain scene or situation, sometimes things happen that you can't control or ignore. In such cases, you might have to get all the branding out instead of settling for negative publicity, which could be a viable option for a B2C brand. B2B Movie Placement: A Success Story FLIR, a client of Hollywood Branded, is the leading provider of thermal military camera equipment. It co-starred in one of Warner Brothers' biggest hits of 2018, Rampage. FLIR connected with the right member of the production team and ensured that the brand was pictured in a positive light. FLIR shared its technology with the filmmakers and got advertised to its business customers, mostly film-loving decision-makers, through the movie and the way it was shot. The film earned $427M at the worldwide box office.

Read More
TECHNOLOGIES

Live Sports TV Executive Predictions: Cloud-Based Production Is the Future

Article | February 14, 2022

Global B2B companies churn out content pieces such as infographics, case studies, assessments, and other forms of thought leadership content to create brand awareness. But is this content enough to engage the customers and the market? Not really. Marketers like you need to look into branded entertainment to get more customer engagement and brand loyalty. What is Branded Entertainment? Adweek loosely describes “branded entertainment” as any content that starts a positive conversation around a product, service, or set of values. This content builds a story around your product or services, showing it in a positive light and getting the audience to engage in your content as much as a film or a TV show. As opposed to other marketing endeavors, branded entertainment doesn’t focus on your products and their features but on entertaining the audience. Incorporating Branded Entertainment into Your Marketing Strategy Here are some ways to get it done without much hassle: Web Series Original programming, such as web series published on the brand’s social media channels, can help you raise awareness through stories that share your brand’s values instead of directly marketing your product or services. PR Stunts Create social media brand content that is entertaining and exciting enough for the audience to make it viral. Such PR brings positive media attention to your brand and creates mass awareness for your brand or product. Videos Volvo's entertaining video of Van Damme's split stunt on YouTube has 114.5 million views. The video didn't need a call-to-action because it wasn’t to convert leads. Instead, it was meant to showcase a piece of business-use truck technology and get engagement. Podcasting GE used podcasting for advertising twice, once with its show ‘The Message’ and again with its new series ‘LifeAfter.’ Neither show discusses GE's products. Instead, they were "GE-presented" and were received well. Summing It Up People are less likely to comment on or share brand posts directly, but they are more likely to tweet or share them on their Instagram stories. This way you can measure the impact of branded entertainment. B2B marketers should consider branded entertainment as a way to build trust and start conversations between their brands and their audience to get a long-term ROI.

Read More
SOLUTIONS,BUSINESS

Driving ROI of Your B2B Marketing with Entertainment

Article | July 7, 2022

B2B companies are harnessing entertainment to drive their marketing ROI. They are using strategies that meet the changing needs of B2B customers and take advantage of how technology is improving. Let us examine the top five entertainment marketing strategies that can get engagement for your B2B content: On-Demand Content Rules B2B corporate Salesforce recently announced a new streaming service—Salesforce+—that exclusively caters to businesses. If you want to try something like this, you don’t need to create a new streaming platform. Instead, you can use your social media accounts to share unique content that your target audience will find interesting. Presentation Shouldn’t Be a Priority Your B2B audience isn’t any different from the audience that consumes basic TikTok videos, reality TV shows, or YouTube clips that don’t have the best scripts. Any grippingly human content presented on popular channels of entertainment appeals to the viewer and can influence their buying decisions. Harness User-generated Content Harness user-generated content like videos, reviews, and testimonials. When your customer tells your brand’s story or how your brand helped them solve their problems, the content is engaging and authentic for your prospects and influences their purchase decisions. Additionally, such content receives high engagement and improves your brand’s reputation. Relevance Wins Hearts If the content you are producing is entertaining and engaging, addresses the pain points and demands of your target audience, and is timed perfectly to match the dynamic market needs, your prospects might relate to your brand better and avail your product or services. Create Immersive Experiences Through Events With the help of experience experts Boost Experiential, Google created an Event Series to target small businesses in the U.S. They led a nationwide initiative to offer educational seminars and coaching to small businesses. They held events in 50 states and introduced Google’s tools to thousands of business owners. As a result, they have got more than 50, 000 small businesses online. Entertainment Could Be a B2B Trend for 2022 Create valuable, memorable, entertaining, and engaging content addressing customer pain points. Make it available to your target audience through popular channels like streaming sites, social media, webinars, live events and more to get your marketing ROI.

Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Spotlight

Narcity Media

Narcity Media is a digital only media publication that owns and operates NARCITY.COM & MTLBLOG.COM, two digital properties focusing on connecting users to their city through relevant and influential content. Combined, our network reaches over 16 million millennials monthly on our web properties in the US and Canada and engage over a million millennials daily through our social channels.

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TECHNOLOGIES,APPLICATIONS

Agora to Showcase Live Audio and Video Technology for Gaming in the Metaverse at Pocket Gamer Connects in Helsinki

Agora | September 28, 2022

Agora, Inc. a pioneer and leading platform for real-time engagement APIs, announced that it will be exhibiting at Pocket Gamer Connects in Helsinki, Finland on Sept 27th- 28th. Pocket Gamer Connects, held at the Cable Factory, the largest cultural center in Finland, is the leading international conference series for the global games industry bringing together more than 33,000 industry professionals.To showcase the value in real-time audio and video technology, Agora will participate in two speaking sessions. On September 27th at 2:50pm on Track 2, Ali Nhari, Agora's Head of EMEA will join the panel session Know your audience: how to choose between subscription or ad models alongside Kim Grewal from Digital Turbine, John Pryor from ShareIT and Tadgh Kelly from the Mobile Doctor. At 11:00am on Wednesday Sept 28th on Track 2, Ben Weekes, Agora's Senior Architect & Principal Engine will hold a session with the title Real-time Voice & Video in Games and VR. "We are excited to demonstrate how to build a fully immersive gaming experience with features like voice and video chat, live interactive streaming, spatial audio, avatars and face and voice filters. At Agora, we're democratizing the metaverse for developers by providing them with easy-to-embed APIs, expansive SDKs and the most reliable, global low-latency network solution. Building the metaverse means scaling connectivity globally as we continue to meet the demand," -Ali Nhari, Agora's Head of EMEA. About Agora Agora is the leading Real-time Engagement Platform as a Service (RTE PaaS) company. Agora's mission is to make real-time engagement ubiquitous, allowing everyone to interact with anyone, in any application, anytime and anywhere. Agora's platform provides developers with simple, flexible and powerful application programming interfaces, or APIs, to embed real-time video and voice engagement experiences into their applications.

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BUSINESS

HCLTech to Supercharge New York Giants and New York Jets Fan Experiences as New Cornerstone Partner of MetLife Stadium

HCLTech | September 27, 2022

HCLTech, a leading global technology company, announced it has been named an Official Cornerstone Partner of MetLife Stadium and the official digital transformation partner of the New York Giants, New York Jets and MetLife Stadium – enriching what it means to be a fan in the digital age. This supports the company’s focus and new brand positioning: Supercharging ProgressTM, which was unveiled today.The agreement with HCLTech is built on a shared vision to make MetLife Stadium the most technologically advanced venue in the U.S. while providing enhanced guest experiences from the sidelines to the stands. Through this partnership, MetLife Stadium, the Giants and Jets can benefit from HCLTech’s deep experience in platform-driven business transformation, supported by market-leading capabilities to supercharge adoption of best-in-class technology advancements year-round. The new partnership will elevate and unify seamless experiences for guests both inside and outside the stadium, building deeper connections and memorable brand moments before, during and after game days through immersive, real-time digital engagement. Fostering digital transformation and advancement is a critical component of our mission to supercharge progress, said C Vijayakumar, CEO & Managing Director, HCLTech. “Our partnership with MetLife Stadium, alongside the Jets and Giants, represents an incredible opportunity for HCLTech to help them reimagine fan engagement and create digital experiences on a massive scale. Taking on the role of official digital transformation partner for MetLife Stadium, we are excited to enable MetLife Stadium to execute on their mission and look forward to driving a sports and entertainment experience for the digital age. Creating a memorable, positive experience for everyone who comes to MetLife Stadium is a critical part of our mission,” said Ron VanDeVeen, President and CEO of MetLife Stadium. “HCLTech brings a deep level of knowledge and understanding when it comes to building an effective digital experience. In selecting a technology partner, HCLTech was a clear choice for us to help MetLife Stadium stand out as a leader in fan experience well into the future. “We are excited to welcome HCLTech as an Official Cornerstone Partner of MetLife Stadium, Enhancing the fan experience is a top priority. Our partnership with HCLTech will allow us to further develop and leverage innovative engagement opportunities at every event.” -John Mara, President and CEO of the New York Giants. MetLife Stadium has been a leader in its use of technology since opening in 2010," said Hymie Elhai, President of the New York Jets. "Partnering with HCLTech affords us the opportunity to tap into the company's vast technological expertise and recreate what it means to be a fan at MetLife Stadium as we navigate through the digital age. The sports and entertainment sectors are representative of the modern digital experience economy: multi-sensory, context-aware and with the most omnichannel-engaged and diverse consumers. Since its first sports partnership in 2015, HCLTech has driven the digital transformation for iconic brands in soccer, ocean sailing and cricket – keeping fans at the center and bringing millions closer to the sporting organizations they love. The U.S. contributes more than 60% to HCLTech’s global revenue of $11.8 billion. This partnership will allow the company to further demonstrate its commitment to the U.S. market as a technology services and products leader with a large base of Fortune 500 companies -- and as an employer of choice, with more than 22,000 employees across the U.S. Excel Sports Management's properties division oversaw the sponsorship search for the New York Giants, New York Jets, and MetLife Stadium. About MetLife Stadium MetLife Stadium, located in East Rutherford, NJ, is the home of the New York Jets and New York Giants and is one of the largest stadiums in the NFL with a capacity of 82,500. MetLife Stadium will serve as a host venue for FIFA World Cup 2026. Since opening in 2010, the venue has hosted over 500 major events and 2,500 special events. Event highlights include the first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl XLVIII, WrestleMania 29 and 35, the Copa America Centenario Final, the 2021 Army-Navy Game, and many concerts, college football games, and international soccer matches. MetLife Stadium has been named “Highest Grossing Stadium of the Year” 9 times by Billboard and “2017 Venue of the Year” by StadiumBusiness. In 2021, MetLife Stadium became the first NFL Stadium to join the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change's Sports for Climate Action Framework, which aims to achieve global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions goals. For more information, visit metlifestadium.com. About the New York Football Giants A cornerstone franchise of the National Football League, the New York Football Giants began play in 1925. The Giants have won eight championships: 1927, 1934, 1938, 1956, 1986, 1990, 2007 and 2011. After twice winning two titles in five years, the Giants are the only NFL franchise with Super Bowl victories in four consecutive decades. Headquartered at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, N.J., the Giants enter their 98th season of play this fall. For more information, visit giants.com. About the New York Jets The New York Jets were founded in 1959 as the New York Titans, an original member of the American Football League (AFL). The Jets won Super Bowl III, defeating the NFL’s Baltimore Colts in 1969 – a victory many believe led to the 1970 merger of the AFL and NFL that set the foundation for today’s league. The organization takes great pride in a long-standing, year-round commitment to their community by implementing impactful programs that will positively influence the lives of young men and women in the tri-state area, particularly in disadvantaged communities. New York Jets play in MetLife Stadium, which opened in 2010, and are headquartered at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, New Jersey. For more information, visit newyorkjets.com. About HCLTech HCLTech is a global technology company, home to 211,000+ people across 52 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering and cloud, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG, and Public Services. Consolidated revenues as of 12 months ending June 2022 totaled $11.8 billion. To learn how we can supercharge progress for you, visit hcltech.com.

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MEDIA AND BROADCASTING

IMAX Acquires Streaming Technology Company SSIMWAVE Inc.

IMAX Corporation | September 23, 2022

IMAX Corporation ( NYSE: IMAX) announced it has acquired SSIMWAVE Inc., a leader in AI-driven video quality solutions for media and entertainment companies. The move marks a significant expansion of IMAX's strategy to deliver the highest quality video images on any screen — to drive new, recurring revenue and grow its global leadership in entertainment technology.Through its patented, two-time Emmy(R) Award winning technology, Ontario-based SSIMWAVE enables streaming and broadcast providers to deliver the best possible image on any device for on-demand and live video. Four of the world's top-ten streaming media companies currently partner with SSIMWAVE to optimize video, including Disney, Paramount Global, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Its 30-person engineering team has mapped the human visual system to produce one of the most accurate measures of perceptual quality, which its AI-driven software applies to enhance video streams and files in real time. The acquisition is expected to be accretive in 2023 and have minimal financial impact in 2022. SSIMWAVE is doing revolutionary work at the intersection of human visual perception and image enhancement technology. By putting the power of our global brand behind their award-winning engineering team and product suite, IMAX takes a big step toward a new horizon in our ability to deliver the best images for any creator, across every screen, said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX. In the near-term, SSIMWAVE brings to IMAX new, SaaS-based revenue and a world-class client roster that tightly aligns with some of our strongest, most successful content partnerships. With the explosion in video consumption across platforms, the need for video optimization continues to grow as consumers demand higher resolution including 4K, 8k and new, interactive experiences across gaming, VR, AR, and the metaverse. Additionally, leading filmmakers and creators increasingly demand solutions to ensure the fidelity and quality of their work on any screen. IMAX will work with SSIMWAVE in the near term to further grow its business and product suite, including international expansion. Longer-term, IMAX's technology and post-production teams will work with SSIMWAVE's engineering team to develop new solutions for delivering IMAX-quality video experiences across platforms, around the world. "Viewers and content creators expect more from video experiences. By joining IMAX, SSIMWAVE will be even better positioned to preserve creators' intent and enable engaging, differentiated viewing experiences to millions of users across platforms, We're excited to join IMAX and tap into its global scale and expertise as more streamers turn to SSIMWAVE to ensure the best viewing experiences while reducing bandwidth costs." -Dr. Abdul Rehman, CEO and Co-Founder of SSIMWAVE Founded at Ontario's University of Waterloo, SSIMWAVE's technology has improved the viewer experience of more than 150 million subscribers over billions of viewing hours to date. Its technology is protected with 50 patents and patents pending globally. SSIMWAVE has won a Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award (2020) and a Primetime Emmy® Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering (2015). SSIMWAVE was also honored as a Best New Streaming Technology winner in the NAB Show Product of the Year Awards in both 2022 and 2021. "SSIMWAVE boasts a brilliant team of engineers, technologists, and academics obsessed with image quality and on the leading edge of Ontario's thriving tech community; the similarities between this company and IMAX when we acquired it nearly 30 years ago are uncanny," continued Gelfond. "We look forward to scaling SSIMWAVE's business and taking it in never-before-imagined directions around the world just as we did with IMAX's game-changing projection technology." The acquisition builds on IMAX's cross-platform expansion with IMAX Enhanced, which brings The IMAX Experience(R) to streaming entertainment with IMAX-exclusive expanded aspect ratio, digitally remastered content, and signature sound. More than 200 IMAX Enhanced titles are available across streaming platforms worldwide, including Disney+, and more than 10 million IMAX Enhanced certified devices are in the market today. Under the terms of agreement, IMAX acquired SSIMWAVE for $18.5 million in cash and $2.5 million in stock with additional earnout consideration of $4 million, subject to achieving certain operating performance and financial objectives. About SSIMWAVE SSIMWAVE's Video Experience Automation Platform brings the power of the human eye to entire video delivery chains to help streaming services assess video quality at scale, minimize quality drop-offs, and reduce distribution expenses and video assurance costs. Its SSIMPLUS® suite of products – Live Monitor, VOD Monitor and Video Quality (VQ) Dial – have also helped the streaming industry address hard-to-solve problems such as banding, A/V sync issues, HDR content distribution, and low-quality sources. SSIMWAVE technology has earned multiple Emmy® Awards as well as an NAB Product of the Year Award. About IMAX Corporation IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture, and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theaters to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. As of June 30, 2022, there were 1,694 IMAX theater systems (1,610 commercial multiplexes, 12 commercial destinations, 72 institutional) operating in 87 countries and territories. Shares of IMAX China Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of IMAX Corporation, trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code "1970."IMAX®, IMAX® Dome, IMAX® 3D, IMAX® 3D Dome, Experience It In IMAX®, The IMAX Experience®, An IMAX Experience®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, IMAX DMR®, DMR®, Filmed For IMAX™, IMAX LIVE™, IMAX Enhanced™, IMAX nXos® and Films to the Fullest®, are trademarks and trade names of the Company or its subsidiaries that are registered or otherwise protected under laws of various jurisdictions. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/imax), Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

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TECHNOLOGIES,APPLICATIONS

Agora to Showcase Live Audio and Video Technology for Gaming in the Metaverse at Pocket Gamer Connects in Helsinki

Agora | September 28, 2022

Agora, Inc. a pioneer and leading platform for real-time engagement APIs, announced that it will be exhibiting at Pocket Gamer Connects in Helsinki, Finland on Sept 27th- 28th. Pocket Gamer Connects, held at the Cable Factory, the largest cultural center in Finland, is the leading international conference series for the global games industry bringing together more than 33,000 industry professionals.To showcase the value in real-time audio and video technology, Agora will participate in two speaking sessions. On September 27th at 2:50pm on Track 2, Ali Nhari, Agora's Head of EMEA will join the panel session Know your audience: how to choose between subscription or ad models alongside Kim Grewal from Digital Turbine, John Pryor from ShareIT and Tadgh Kelly from the Mobile Doctor. At 11:00am on Wednesday Sept 28th on Track 2, Ben Weekes, Agora's Senior Architect & Principal Engine will hold a session with the title Real-time Voice & Video in Games and VR. "We are excited to demonstrate how to build a fully immersive gaming experience with features like voice and video chat, live interactive streaming, spatial audio, avatars and face and voice filters. At Agora, we're democratizing the metaverse for developers by providing them with easy-to-embed APIs, expansive SDKs and the most reliable, global low-latency network solution. Building the metaverse means scaling connectivity globally as we continue to meet the demand," -Ali Nhari, Agora's Head of EMEA. About Agora Agora is the leading Real-time Engagement Platform as a Service (RTE PaaS) company. Agora's mission is to make real-time engagement ubiquitous, allowing everyone to interact with anyone, in any application, anytime and anywhere. Agora's platform provides developers with simple, flexible and powerful application programming interfaces, or APIs, to embed real-time video and voice engagement experiences into their applications.

Read More

BUSINESS

HCLTech to Supercharge New York Giants and New York Jets Fan Experiences as New Cornerstone Partner of MetLife Stadium

HCLTech | September 27, 2022

HCLTech, a leading global technology company, announced it has been named an Official Cornerstone Partner of MetLife Stadium and the official digital transformation partner of the New York Giants, New York Jets and MetLife Stadium – enriching what it means to be a fan in the digital age. This supports the company’s focus and new brand positioning: Supercharging ProgressTM, which was unveiled today.The agreement with HCLTech is built on a shared vision to make MetLife Stadium the most technologically advanced venue in the U.S. while providing enhanced guest experiences from the sidelines to the stands. Through this partnership, MetLife Stadium, the Giants and Jets can benefit from HCLTech’s deep experience in platform-driven business transformation, supported by market-leading capabilities to supercharge adoption of best-in-class technology advancements year-round. The new partnership will elevate and unify seamless experiences for guests both inside and outside the stadium, building deeper connections and memorable brand moments before, during and after game days through immersive, real-time digital engagement. Fostering digital transformation and advancement is a critical component of our mission to supercharge progress, said C Vijayakumar, CEO & Managing Director, HCLTech. “Our partnership with MetLife Stadium, alongside the Jets and Giants, represents an incredible opportunity for HCLTech to help them reimagine fan engagement and create digital experiences on a massive scale. Taking on the role of official digital transformation partner for MetLife Stadium, we are excited to enable MetLife Stadium to execute on their mission and look forward to driving a sports and entertainment experience for the digital age. Creating a memorable, positive experience for everyone who comes to MetLife Stadium is a critical part of our mission,” said Ron VanDeVeen, President and CEO of MetLife Stadium. “HCLTech brings a deep level of knowledge and understanding when it comes to building an effective digital experience. In selecting a technology partner, HCLTech was a clear choice for us to help MetLife Stadium stand out as a leader in fan experience well into the future. “We are excited to welcome HCLTech as an Official Cornerstone Partner of MetLife Stadium, Enhancing the fan experience is a top priority. Our partnership with HCLTech will allow us to further develop and leverage innovative engagement opportunities at every event.” -John Mara, President and CEO of the New York Giants. MetLife Stadium has been a leader in its use of technology since opening in 2010," said Hymie Elhai, President of the New York Jets. "Partnering with HCLTech affords us the opportunity to tap into the company's vast technological expertise and recreate what it means to be a fan at MetLife Stadium as we navigate through the digital age. The sports and entertainment sectors are representative of the modern digital experience economy: multi-sensory, context-aware and with the most omnichannel-engaged and diverse consumers. Since its first sports partnership in 2015, HCLTech has driven the digital transformation for iconic brands in soccer, ocean sailing and cricket – keeping fans at the center and bringing millions closer to the sporting organizations they love. The U.S. contributes more than 60% to HCLTech’s global revenue of $11.8 billion. This partnership will allow the company to further demonstrate its commitment to the U.S. market as a technology services and products leader with a large base of Fortune 500 companies -- and as an employer of choice, with more than 22,000 employees across the U.S. Excel Sports Management's properties division oversaw the sponsorship search for the New York Giants, New York Jets, and MetLife Stadium. About MetLife Stadium MetLife Stadium, located in East Rutherford, NJ, is the home of the New York Jets and New York Giants and is one of the largest stadiums in the NFL with a capacity of 82,500. MetLife Stadium will serve as a host venue for FIFA World Cup 2026. Since opening in 2010, the venue has hosted over 500 major events and 2,500 special events. Event highlights include the first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl XLVIII, WrestleMania 29 and 35, the Copa America Centenario Final, the 2021 Army-Navy Game, and many concerts, college football games, and international soccer matches. MetLife Stadium has been named “Highest Grossing Stadium of the Year” 9 times by Billboard and “2017 Venue of the Year” by StadiumBusiness. In 2021, MetLife Stadium became the first NFL Stadium to join the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change's Sports for Climate Action Framework, which aims to achieve global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions goals. For more information, visit metlifestadium.com. About the New York Football Giants A cornerstone franchise of the National Football League, the New York Football Giants began play in 1925. The Giants have won eight championships: 1927, 1934, 1938, 1956, 1986, 1990, 2007 and 2011. After twice winning two titles in five years, the Giants are the only NFL franchise with Super Bowl victories in four consecutive decades. Headquartered at the Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, N.J., the Giants enter their 98th season of play this fall. For more information, visit giants.com. About the New York Jets The New York Jets were founded in 1959 as the New York Titans, an original member of the American Football League (AFL). The Jets won Super Bowl III, defeating the NFL’s Baltimore Colts in 1969 – a victory many believe led to the 1970 merger of the AFL and NFL that set the foundation for today’s league. The organization takes great pride in a long-standing, year-round commitment to their community by implementing impactful programs that will positively influence the lives of young men and women in the tri-state area, particularly in disadvantaged communities. New York Jets play in MetLife Stadium, which opened in 2010, and are headquartered at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, New Jersey. For more information, visit newyorkjets.com. About HCLTech HCLTech is a global technology company, home to 211,000+ people across 52 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering and cloud, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, Technology and Services, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG, and Public Services. Consolidated revenues as of 12 months ending June 2022 totaled $11.8 billion. To learn how we can supercharge progress for you, visit hcltech.com.

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IMAX Acquires Streaming Technology Company SSIMWAVE Inc.

IMAX Corporation | September 23, 2022

IMAX Corporation ( NYSE: IMAX) announced it has acquired SSIMWAVE Inc., a leader in AI-driven video quality solutions for media and entertainment companies. The move marks a significant expansion of IMAX's strategy to deliver the highest quality video images on any screen — to drive new, recurring revenue and grow its global leadership in entertainment technology.Through its patented, two-time Emmy(R) Award winning technology, Ontario-based SSIMWAVE enables streaming and broadcast providers to deliver the best possible image on any device for on-demand and live video. Four of the world's top-ten streaming media companies currently partner with SSIMWAVE to optimize video, including Disney, Paramount Global, and Warner Bros. Discovery. Its 30-person engineering team has mapped the human visual system to produce one of the most accurate measures of perceptual quality, which its AI-driven software applies to enhance video streams and files in real time. The acquisition is expected to be accretive in 2023 and have minimal financial impact in 2022. SSIMWAVE is doing revolutionary work at the intersection of human visual perception and image enhancement technology. By putting the power of our global brand behind their award-winning engineering team and product suite, IMAX takes a big step toward a new horizon in our ability to deliver the best images for any creator, across every screen, said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX. In the near-term, SSIMWAVE brings to IMAX new, SaaS-based revenue and a world-class client roster that tightly aligns with some of our strongest, most successful content partnerships. With the explosion in video consumption across platforms, the need for video optimization continues to grow as consumers demand higher resolution including 4K, 8k and new, interactive experiences across gaming, VR, AR, and the metaverse. Additionally, leading filmmakers and creators increasingly demand solutions to ensure the fidelity and quality of their work on any screen. IMAX will work with SSIMWAVE in the near term to further grow its business and product suite, including international expansion. Longer-term, IMAX's technology and post-production teams will work with SSIMWAVE's engineering team to develop new solutions for delivering IMAX-quality video experiences across platforms, around the world. "Viewers and content creators expect more from video experiences. By joining IMAX, SSIMWAVE will be even better positioned to preserve creators' intent and enable engaging, differentiated viewing experiences to millions of users across platforms, We're excited to join IMAX and tap into its global scale and expertise as more streamers turn to SSIMWAVE to ensure the best viewing experiences while reducing bandwidth costs." -Dr. Abdul Rehman, CEO and Co-Founder of SSIMWAVE Founded at Ontario's University of Waterloo, SSIMWAVE's technology has improved the viewer experience of more than 150 million subscribers over billions of viewing hours to date. Its technology is protected with 50 patents and patents pending globally. SSIMWAVE has won a Technology & Engineering Emmy® Award (2020) and a Primetime Emmy® Award for Outstanding Achievement in Engineering (2015). SSIMWAVE was also honored as a Best New Streaming Technology winner in the NAB Show Product of the Year Awards in both 2022 and 2021. "SSIMWAVE boasts a brilliant team of engineers, technologists, and academics obsessed with image quality and on the leading edge of Ontario's thriving tech community; the similarities between this company and IMAX when we acquired it nearly 30 years ago are uncanny," continued Gelfond. "We look forward to scaling SSIMWAVE's business and taking it in never-before-imagined directions around the world just as we did with IMAX's game-changing projection technology." The acquisition builds on IMAX's cross-platform expansion with IMAX Enhanced, which brings The IMAX Experience(R) to streaming entertainment with IMAX-exclusive expanded aspect ratio, digitally remastered content, and signature sound. More than 200 IMAX Enhanced titles are available across streaming platforms worldwide, including Disney+, and more than 10 million IMAX Enhanced certified devices are in the market today. Under the terms of agreement, IMAX acquired SSIMWAVE for $18.5 million in cash and $2.5 million in stock with additional earnout consideration of $4 million, subject to achieving certain operating performance and financial objectives. About SSIMWAVE SSIMWAVE's Video Experience Automation Platform brings the power of the human eye to entire video delivery chains to help streaming services assess video quality at scale, minimize quality drop-offs, and reduce distribution expenses and video assurance costs. Its SSIMPLUS® suite of products – Live Monitor, VOD Monitor and Video Quality (VQ) Dial – have also helped the streaming industry address hard-to-solve problems such as banding, A/V sync issues, HDR content distribution, and low-quality sources. SSIMWAVE technology has earned multiple Emmy® Awards as well as an NAB Product of the Year Award. About IMAX Corporation IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture, and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you've never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theaters to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX's network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. As of June 30, 2022, there were 1,694 IMAX theater systems (1,610 commercial multiplexes, 12 commercial destinations, 72 institutional) operating in 87 countries and territories. Shares of IMAX China Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of IMAX Corporation, trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code "1970."IMAX®, IMAX® Dome, IMAX® 3D, IMAX® 3D Dome, Experience It In IMAX®, The IMAX Experience®, An IMAX Experience®, An IMAX 3D Experience®, IMAX DMR®, DMR®, Filmed For IMAX™, IMAX LIVE™, IMAX Enhanced™, IMAX nXos® and Films to the Fullest®, are trademarks and trade names of the Company or its subsidiaries that are registered or otherwise protected under laws of various jurisdictions. More information about the Company can be found at www.imax.com. You may also connect with IMAX on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/imax), Facebook (www.facebook.com/imax), Twitter (www.twitter.com/imax) and YouTube (www.youtube.com/imaxmovies).

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