sf anytime case study - connected entertainment 2012

International Case Study Delivering the Next Generation Connected Entertainment Experience: SF Anytime

Chris Flintoft CEO & Co-Founder Neon Stingray

CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012

Background


Background Based in Sweden

•  Owned by Bonnier Media Group

•  Sister company with SF BIO which is the largest cinema operator in Scandinavia, and Discshop, one of the largest online CD/DVD companies in Scandinavia

•  SF Anytime started with a movie download-to-PC service in 2002

•  Now offers a TVOD only streaming movie services across multiple devices and platforms •  Strategic goal to become the leading provider of Video On Demand content in Scandinavia

through both SF branded and affiliate channels

•  Wanted to be ‘device agnostic’ to achieve broadest possible reach across a range of consumer devices (web, tablets, phones, Connected TV, Set-Top-Boxes, consoles etc)


SF Current State


SF Current State Profile •  TVOD only •  Decommissioned Download in 2011 •  Watching brief on SVOD and EST

•  Mix of Hollywood and Local Market Content

•  Now Available on a wide selection of devices across web, mobile, tablet, connected TV with Game Consoles planned for late 2012 early 2013.

•  Currently available on Mac & PC, Samsung, LG, Phillips and Panasonic CTV’s, Android and IOS – XBOX and PS3 in development

•  Primarily PlayReady DRM to meet studio requirements

•  Search and Recommendations Tools


SF Current State Profitable Organic Growth •  4 million transactions per year •  50% growth

•  1 million registered customers across the network •  900% growth

•  Smart TV has been a big driver of growth •  10% of total transactions on CTV in just 2 years

•  Affiliate programs also key to growth •  30+ affiliates driving 75% of all transactions •  Affiliates include IPTV operators, ISP’s, Telco’s and Utilities


SF Anytime Problems


SF Anytime Problems 2009

•  PC only download model

•  No product to manage rights across multiple devices

•  Static customer growth (Around 100,000 customers)

•  No device roadmap

•  Limited back-end infrastructure to meet changing requirements around metadata, subtitles, customised catalogues and geographic expansion.

•  Limited support for distribution via channels (affiliates)


How We Helped SF


Many In-Market Technology Options


Many In-Market Technology Options None are “End to End Products”

Always considerations around: •  Integration with back-end systems

•  Front-end user experience

•  Rights management on multiple platforms (e.g. web vs iPad)

•  Content ingestion and mastering tools (e.g. what's provided by the studios oen varies)

•  Encoding

•  Cross-platform DRM


How We Helped SF Created a Structured Product Roadmap

Devices Rights Hardware User Experience Management


Device Roadmap


Device Roadmap Invest Upfront Time

•  Understand what devices you want to be on over the next 5 years

•  Invest time in researching device proliferation in your local market

•  Speak to hardware manufacturers early as there is oen a mutual bene$t

•  Current – •  Samsung, LG, Panasonic, Phillips CTV •  IOS and Android Tablets and Windows Phone •  Mac and PC

•  Late 2012 / early 2013 •  XBOX, PS3, Sony Bravia CTV


Content Rights


Content Rights Understand and Leverage Your Rights

•  What rights do you currently have?

•  What rights do you need to negotiate?

•  What restrictions exist per device?

•  What rights do you need to purchase?

•  2 years ago SF decided to •  Decommission Download and focus on Streaming. •  Build a strong indirect affiliate channel to expand their market •  Keep a watching brief on EST


Device Hardware


Device Hardware Create Partnerships

•  Partner with your target device manufacturers

•  Negotiate premium homepage space

•  CTV is harder to navigate, so homepage space is critical for user engagement

•  CTV is now a key driver of growth for SF Anytime


Multi-Platform User Experience


Multi-Platform User Experience Signature User Interface Plan this upfront, not ad hoc as you decide to add devices to your solution •  Create a signature experience across all devices to foster brand loyalty

•  Saves time and money by identifying possible design roadblocks early

•  Optimise feature set based on device capability and use case

•  A style guide or pattern library that scales across all devices in your roadmap (e.g. www.bbc.co.uk/gel)

•  Plays to native device strengths but has your brand DNA •  Allow %exibility for “white label” affiliate networks


Product Management


Product Management Across Multiple Devices •  Different devices have different rights considerations (e.g. iPad 1 vs iPad 2/3)

•  To operate a dynamic retail environment there is a need to push different offers (packages) to different devices

•  Ability to promote and manage content based on factors such as popularity and margin •  Top Lists

•  e need to quickly on-board and manage affiliates and custom catalogues.

•  SF have developed a sophisticated Back Office Product to give them the ability to manage the day to day operations of the Product as a vibrant retail offer for their customers.


Summary Key Success Factors

Devices Rights Hardware User Experience Management

•  Mix of direct and in-direct channels to extend market reach and provide economies of scale (i.e. single catalogue, multiple brands)

•  Breadth of device coverage – mix of traditional (IPTV, Set-Top-Box) and emerging devices (web, mobile, Connected TV, consoles etc)

•  Back-end tools to manage and promote the catalogue

•  Simple, practical solutions for search & recommendations (i.e. no need to build a ‘perfect’ algorithm)

Contact Details [email protected] Image credits: www.istockphoto.com http://www.teradatamagazine.com/v09n04/Features/One-size-does-not-#t-all/ http://www.digitaltrends.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/samsung-app-tv-platform-apps-yahoo.jpg