Home > Companies > C-Suite On Deck > Q&A with Itamar Benedy, Co-Founder & CEO at Anzu.io

Q&A with Itamar Benedy, Co-Founder & CEO at Anzu.io

Media 7 | August 5, 2021

Itamar Benedy, CEO and Co-founder of Anzu.io, was previously the CEO of Glispa, a Berlin-based advertising firm with €100M in annual revenues, a team of 250 people, and 9 international offices. Itamar led the acquisitions of JustAd, a playable ads start-up, and Relevantech, a Telecom monetization platform. Previously, Itamar served as the VP of Marketing at Sport.com and Yoga.com, leading the user acquisition, monetization, and analytics teams. He guided Sport.com to become a market-leading fitness firm and transformed mHealth into a business with over 40 million downloads across 30 apps. With a decade of experience in mobile and marketing, Itamar is a member of the Mobile Steering Group Board of IAB, and the Young President Organization (YPO). He was also nominated for Forbes Israel 30 under 30 in 2016.

There has also been a common misconception amongst brands that gamers are not their audience, but when you consider that they make up a third of the population, you can see that this is not true. The pandemic had a significant impact on exposing this audience and shifting the mindsets of advertisers.

MEDIA 7: Could you please take us through your professional journey?
ITAMAR BENEDY: Since day one at AppWiz, which was my first foray into the exciting world of AdTech, I was hooked. All those years ago, I saw AdTech as a wide-open canvas for innovation and meaningful advancements. My mission was – and is – to create breakthrough products that have the power to change the way humans and ads meet and interact with one another. A core technical background coupled with a passion for business drove me to create technologies that would chart the future of digital advertising. With over a decade in the mobile marketing space, I clearly understood the industry’s problems. So, I teamed up with gaming product guru Ben Fenster and master software architect Michael Badichi to solve the biggest issues in video game advertising which included a lack of scalable tech and cutting-edge solutions, the disruptive nature of in-game ads, and the vast gap between advertisers and developers which was leaving massive audiences inaccessible to brands. It was also getting increasingly difficult for developers to monetize without sacrificing the gaming experience. The three of us set out to make advertising in games better when we founded Anzu in 2016, and we’ve been disrupting the industry ever since!

M7: Which industry benefits the most from an in-game advertising platform like Anzu.io?
IB: The gaming audience is hugely diverse, made up of individuals from all ages, backgrounds, genders, nationalities, and cultures. Due to this diverse nature, in-game advertising suits businesses across all different industries and vertices. You can see this when you look at many of our top clients who are spread across many sectors, including retail, telecoms, technology, automotive, travel and tourism, and leisure.

There has also been a common misconception amongst brands that gamers are not their audience, but when you consider that they make up a third of the population, you can see that this is not true. The pandemic had a significant impact on exposing this audience and shifting the mindsets of advertisers. We saw many who had never run an in-game campaign before shift a considerable amount of their budgets over while they could not advertise outdoors. Extremely low fraud levels, viewability rates way above the industry average, and the massive exposure that in-game offers have seen most continue to shift budgets over, even as much of the world begins to emerge from the pandemic.

As free-to-play continues to gain momentum and infiltrate all game genres, games studios will be forced to change their way of thinking to see in-game advertising as a sustainable business model if they want to continue making games relevant and accessible in this highly competitive landscape.

M7: Anzu.io has recently raised $9 million for a new generation of in-game advertising. Could you please tell us a little bit about this goal and how you plan to achieve it?
IB: Traditionally, in-game advertising has only been thought of in terms of mobile games. We saw an opportunity to reset this way of thinking and introduce in-game ads to PC, console, and mobile. The industry is headed for a cross-play revolution where you will no longer be constrained by what device you own. Platforms like Roblox and Fortnite have become ‘play anywhere where you can join a game at home on your console, move to the study and pick it up on your PC and then carry it on via your mobile once you’ve left the house. This view is supported by many across the industry, and it's one of the reasons why we have received backing from many of the world’s leading games publishers and advertisers. With more people downloading ad blockers, giants like Google and Apple making big moves within the privacy space, and national and international regulations on data privacy becoming more stringent, advertisers have never been warier of where their ads appear and how they are measured. Users have also never been more mindful of how their data is used and where they are being advertised to.

In response, we have put ad quality at the heart of everything we do, bringing real-time data and existing digital industry standards in-game across mobile, PC, and console. We also partner with the world’s leading ad verification and certification companies to protect advertisers and their campaigns. As part of this drive, I’m excited to announce that we’ve just been awarded the TAG Brand Safety Certified Seal under the Intermediary category and the Gold Standard Certification 2.0 from the Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB), UK. Together, these certifications demonstrate Anzu’s ongoing commitment to promoting a safe, secure, and fraud-free ecosystem that benefits the entire advertising chain. We also strive to put the gamer first, above everything we do. To achieve this, we work with advertisers, publishers, and players to ensure our ads are integrated within the games and sit natively within the experience, complementing the gameplay rather than taking anything away. I firmly believe that our cross-platform focus, commitment to producing a safe and secure platform, and our drive to always put the gamer first will allow us to accomplish our mission to build the best in-game advertising platform which reaches every gamer on the planet while upholding the interests of advertisers, publishers, and players everywhere.

M7: What do you see as the biggest challenges in the industry and Anzu.io this year?
IB: Navigating Covid-19 has been a considerable challenge for us and will continue to be for some time. We are a global company, so it’s been a challenge not to see each other in person. I was lucky enough to get over to our HQ in Tel Aviv recently, and it was amazing to connect with everyone and hear from all areas of the business. There’s something special in meeting in the flesh, and Covid-19 has made many people realize just how much we took for granted before. As I mentioned, we are working with several industry-leading certification companies and bodies to bring advertising standards to in-game advertising. However, this is an ongoing task and one that needs cooperation from all sides of the industry. In-game advertising has traditionally always been thought of in mobile, and most AAA console and PC games have followed a pay-to-play model. With the rise in popularity of AAA free-to-play games like Fortnite and Genshin Impact, this is beginning to change; however, many AAA games publishers are still focused on the pay-to-play model. As free-to-play continues to gain momentum and infiltrate all game genres, games studios will be forced to change their way of thinking to see in-game advertising as a sustainable business model if they want to continue making games relevant and accessible in this highly competitive landscape.

Act fast as once you see an opportunity, it's highly likely that someone else has noticed it too. Within the fast-changing world, it's also easy for competitors to spring up and overtake you if you’re not focused on the future.

M7: How has the Covid-19 era influenced the growth of in-game advertising?
IB: Covid-19 helped to emphasize just how big the gaming industry is. Yes, Covid-19 helped turn a lot more people to gaming. Many who were gamers pre Covid-19 ended up spending more time gaming to pass the time inside, however contrary to popular belief, gaming did not begin to reach massive numbers during Covid-19. The players were already there. Covid-19 simply revealed to the world just how big this industry is -- something that many companies like ours have been educating advertisers on for some time. A perfect storm of titles exploding overnight (Genshin Impact, Animal Crossing, Among Us), a new era of consoles launching, F2P platforms like Fortnite and Roblox attracting kids in their millions, and experimental experiences like live in-game concerts and virtual fashion launches helped keep gaming within the headlines and top of mind for advertisers during the lockdown. As a result, there was a huge shift in the way brands and agencies began to think of gaming, resulting in more execs, CEOs, and key decision-makers seeing gaming as an essential marketing channel rather than just somewhere to do experiential marketing with leftover budgets.

M7: Knowing what you know now, what advice do you have for your younger self?
IB: The advice I would give is to be data-driven, ensuring that your decisions are backed up by relevant research and insights. Act fast as once you see an opportunity, it's highly likely that someone else has noticed it too. Within the fast-changing world, it's also easy for competitors to spring up and overtake you if you’re not focused on the future. The last piece of advice I would give is to hire senior people and let them do what they do best -- it’s very easy to take on everything yourself, but there comes a time when you need to look to others for help and know that they are experts within their fields for a reason.

ABOUT ANZU

Anzu is the world’s most advanced in-game advertising solution. Operating across mobile, PC, and console platforms, Anzu blends real-world brand ads directly into video games, esports tournaments, and live streams, opening up colossal new audiences for brands in unprecedented creative ways. Simultaneously, Anzu empowers game developers and game publishers to introduce sustainable revenue streams that preserve the gamer experience while maintaining full control over gaming environments. Anzu, which operates across all geos and game genres, partners with global advertisers such as Pepsi, Vodafone, and Samsung and game studios such as Ubisoft and Nacon.

The only solution of its kind to bring real-time analytics and existing digital industry standards in-game, Anzu’s patented, adaptive technology features blended, yet highly viewable IAB-compliant ad formats. Anzu’s full suite of one-of-a-kind AdTech integrations includes ad viewability, brand lift measurement, audience verification, data enrichment, and fraud detection in partnership with industry leaders such as Moat, Comscore, Kantar, and Nielsen. Anzu has raised $17 million to date from investors including WPP, Sony Innovation Fund, BITKRAFT Ventures, and HBSE Ventures. Learn more at https://www.anzu.io/.

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Technologies

The CW Network and Gray Television Expand and Extend Affiliation Partnership

businesswire | September 01, 2023

The CW Network (The CW) today announced that it has expanded and extended its network affiliation agreement with Gray Television, Inc. (Gray). Gray will continue carrying The CW’s entertainment and sports programming on television stations in a total of 55 markets across the country, 42 of which are covered under the terms of the new agreement and 13 of which are covered by previous agreements with the network. In addition, beginning September 2, Gray will launch The CW on PeachtreeTV (WPCH-TV) in Atlanta, Georgia. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed. “Gray Television has been a great partner of The CW from the beginning,” said Dennis Miller, President of The CW Network. “We look forward to sharing more success together as we transform and grow the network and add WPCH-TV to The CW’s expanding portfolio of affiliate partners. Atlanta is an important market for the CW, especially with ACC football and basketball debuting this Fall and NASCAR’s Xfinity Series racing coming in 2025.” About The CW Network The CW Network, LLC is one of America’s major broadcast networks and reaches 100% of US television households. The CW delivers 14 hours of primetime entertainment programming per week in addition to over 300 hours of sports per year as the broadcast home to LIV Golf, ACC football and basketball games, and the NASCAR Xfinity Series beginning in 2025. The fully ad-supported CW App, with more than 96 million downloads to date, is available for free to consumers on all major platforms and is home to the latest episodes and seasons of The CW’s primetime programming, live streaming of LIV Golf tournaments and a library of entertaining film and television content for on-demand viewing. The CW is 75%-owned by Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST), a leading diversified media company and largest CW affiliate group with 37 CW affiliates, covering 32% of the population.

Solutions

IMAX and Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) expand strategic relationship into the streaming ecosystem

Media and Entertainment | September 14, 2023

Entertainment technology industry leader IMAX Corporation® (NYSE: IMAX) and PFT, the creator of AI-powered technology solutions for the Media and Entertainment (M&E) industry, today announced plans to expand their strategic relationship beyond theatrical and into the streaming ecosystem. Under the arrangement, IMAX will expand access to its Stream Smart™ technology to PFT customers across Europe, Asia, and Australia. The expanded partnership will dramatically increase the global availability of Stream Smart™, which helps streaming platforms deliver maximum picture quality while significantly reducing distribution and storage costs. "We are thrilled to deepen our partnership with IMAX, an industry trailblazer with a remarkable legacy of revolutionizing the global entertainment industry," said Ramki Sankaranarayanan, Global CEO of PFT. "For over a decade, CLEAR®, our flagship product, has spearheaded digital packaging and delivery services for prominent streaming platforms worldwide. CLEAR® & Stream Smart will help optimize our customers' encoding pipeline, so they deliver better streaming quality while optimizing CDN & storage costs." "Many of Hollywood's biggest streaming platforms use Stream Smart™ to ensure quality and reduce costs, and we're excited to work with our partners at PFT to extend the reach of our technologies throughout key markets in Europe, Asia, and Australia," said Vikram Arumilli, General Manager of Streaming and Consumer Technology at IMAX. "Our suite of streaming technology products, including Stream Smart™, provides a best-in-class service for direct-to-consumer broadcast and streaming companies, and PFT's' ability to leverage this for their customers is a win-win for both organizations." PFT and its parent company, DNEG, are industry leaders providing a full suite of technology and creative solutions, including IMAX post-production and 3D mastering. IMAX and DNEG joined forces in 2022 for post-production, which included Indian films like Jawan, Pathaan, and RRR. This extended partnership will build upon the established theatrical relationship between IMAX and DNEG to develop a comprehensive video optimization solution. Stream Smart™ is an enterprise software product designed to deliver the best image quality and optimize delivery to unlock cost savings. This product was built from cutting-edge scientific advancements, state-of-the-art engineering, trusted studio relationships, and rooted in a real-world at-scale Emmy®-winning collaboration with Disney Streaming Services and SSIMWAVE. Stream Smart™ will be the centerpiece of the IMAX showcase at IBC 2023. Sign up to meet with PFT and IMAX Streaming & Consumer Technology group at IBC: 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 systems to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, making IMAX's network 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, 2023, there were 1,718 IMAX systems (1,638 commercial multiplexes, 12 commercial destinations, 68 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." About Prime Focus Technologies Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) is the creator of CLEAR® and CLEAR® AI. It offers streaming platforms, studios, and broadcasters transformational AI-led technology and media services powered by the cloud that help them lower their Total Cost of Operations (TCOP) by automating their content supply chain. PFT works with major companies like Walt Disney-owned Star TV, Channel 4, ITV, Sinclair Broadcast Group, A&E Networks, Warner Media, PBS, CBS Television Studios, 20th Century Fox Television Studios, Lionsgate, Showtime, HBO, NBCU, TERN International, Disney+ Hotstar, BCCI, Indian Premier League and more. About DNEG DNEG (www.dneg.com) is a world-leading visual entertainment services company for the creation of feature film, television, and multiplatform content, with worldwide offices and studios across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. DNEG's critically acclaimed work has earned the company seven Academy Awards® for Best Visual Effects and numerous BAFTA and Primetime EMMY® Awards for its high-quality VFX work. Current and upcoming DNEG projects on behalf of its Hollywood and global studio and production company partners include Spy Kids Armageddon (September 2023), No One Will Save You (September 2023), The Gilded Age S2 (October 2023), Nyad (November 2023), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 2023), Lift (January 2024), Dune: Part Two (March 2024), Mickey 17 (March 2024), Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (April 2024), Garfield (May 2024), Borderlands (August 2024), Furiosa (2024), That Christmas, Coyote vs. Acme, The Gorge, and Animal Friends.

Solutions

Corus Entertainment Completes Sale Of Animation Software Business To Integrated Media Company

PR Newswire | August 25, 2023

Corus Entertainment Inc. ("Corus" or the "Company") (TSX: CJR.B) today announced the completion of its sale of Toon Boom Animation Inc. ("Toon Boom"), an Emmy® award-winning Montreal-based animation software company, to Integrated Media Company ("IMC"), a TPG platform dedicated to the new media ecosystem. "The closing of this transaction is a purposeful step towards streamlining our operating model and rationalizing our asset base as we work to build a powerful multiplatform business aggregating premium video content," said Doug Murphy, President and CEO, Corus Entertainment. "The sale of the animation software business will provide additional financial flexibility, with net proceeds allocated towards the repayment of bank debt. We remain focused on advancing our strategic plan and its priorities to strengthen our value proposition in the evolving media landscape." "We're so pleased to welcome Toon Boom into our family, another market leader in its respective domain. Both its product and performance are robust, reflecting the strength of Toon Boom's employees, the oversight of its prior owners, and providing a solid foundation to a new IMC vertical. As with all our investments, this is just the beginning - we look forward to partnering with management in building something strategic, unique, and valuable," said Ori Winitzer, Partner at IMC. "Animation is a dynamic medium for storytelling and visualization that has continued to grow in popularity and importance. Toon Boom's innovative tools and powerful ecosystem have revolutionized the way artists and students bring their creative visions to life. Our investment in Toon Boom marks the beginning of our strategy to build a broader platform focused on content creation and production workflow tools that empower creators and educators," said IMC's Yuning Zhang. Corus intends to use the net proceeds of approximately $142 million CAD generated by this transaction to repay outstanding bank indebtedness. About Corus Entertainment Inc. Corus Entertainment Inc. is a leading media and content company that develops and delivers high quality brands and content across platforms for audiences around the world. Engaging audiences since 1999, the company's portfolio of multimedia offerings encompass 33 specialty television services, 39 radio stations, 15 conventional television stations, digital and streaming platforms, and technology and media services. Corus is an internationally-renowned content creator and distributor through Nelvana, a world class animation studio expert in all formats and Corus Studios, a globally recognized producer of hit scripted and unscripted content. The company also owns full-service social digital agency so.da, lifestyle entertainment company Kin Canada, and children's book publishing house, Kids Can Press. Corus' roster of premium brands includes Global Television, W Network, HGTV Canada, Food Network Canada, Magnolia Network Canada, The HISTORY® Channel, Showcase, Adult Swim, National Geographic, Disney Channel Canada, YTV, Global News, Globalnews.ca, Q107, Country 105, and CFOX, along with streaming platforms STACKTV, TELETOON+, the Global TV App and Curiouscast. Corus is the domestic advertising representative and an original content partner for Pluto TV, a Paramount Company, which is the leading free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) service. About Toon Boom Animation Inc. Toon Boom Animation Inc.'s award-winning software is the global standard for animation, storyboarding and pipeline management. Storyboard Pro and Harmony solutions provide everyone from enthusiasts to professionals with the artistic freedom to create in any style and efficiently publish anywhere, while Producer provides real-time management for animated projects. Customers who chose Toon Boom animation software for the development and creation of their productions include Disney Television Animation, Amazon, Fox Television Animation, Nelvana, Toei Animation, The SPA Studios, Xilam and Boulder Media, to name a few. The technology is currently available in English, Spanish, Japanese and Simplified Chinese. For more information, visit: toonboom.com. About Integrated Media Company Integrated Media Company, LLC is a TPG portfolio company thematically investing across the digital media landscape. Launched in 2018, IMC's mandate is both financial and strategic, providing greater flexibility with regards to investment size, growth initiatives, portfolio construction, and term. IMC's investments are oriented in verticals, allowing for additional acquisitions and organic investment in pursuit of value creation.

Technologies

The CW Network and Gray Television Expand and Extend Affiliation Partnership

businesswire | September 01, 2023

Solutions

IMAX and Prime Focus Technologies (PFT) expand strategic relationship into the streaming ecosystem

Media and Entertainment | September 14, 2023

Solutions

Corus Entertainment Completes Sale Of Animation Software Business To Integrated Media Company

PR Newswire | August 25, 2023

Anzu.io

Anzu.io is an in-game advertising platform that brings the sophistication of advertising into video gaming and esports. Our Blended In-Game Advertising solution seamlessly integrates non-intrusive ads into the gameplay. With Anzu’s state-of-the-art programmatic technology and real-time data, brand a...