Amagi, the global leader in cloud-based SaaS technology for broadcast and connected TV (CTV), has announced that it has integrated leading streaming application management platform, Applicaster, into Amagi's cloud-based broadcasting platform — enabling clients to streamline the complete application management process from building and managing their streaming app business and distribution across major streaming platforms without the need for extensive coding or engineering. By empowering content creators to effortlessly distribute their FAST and OTT channels across mobile, TV, and web-branded apps, this joint solution offers a quick, efficient, and cost-effective approach to driving near-instant viewership and revenue.

"Distribution is a critical success factor in building today's digital content business and we see a growing number of content owners looking to run "Owned & Operated" assets as a core pillar of their strategy. Through our no-to-low-code media app management platform, this strategic collaboration with Amagi offers content owners unparalleled operational control and business flexibility over their app business," said Ido Hadari, CEO of Applicaster. "We enable these businesses to launch simultaneously across multiple mobile, Connected TV and Web devices, easily integrate third party services into the apps through our plug-in gallery, maintain real-time UX control and make changes to their apps at any time without additional fees. Moreover, actionable data ensures quick understanding and action on customer insights — all within the same platform. Overall, we're providing clients with a joint solution that not only meets current needs but also empowers them for future growth."

Amagi's clients can instantly launch their content to OTT apps using Applicaster Essential's cost-effective solutions and grow these deployments through the industry-leading Applicaster Pro suite. Key initial features of the Amagi and Applicaster partnership include:

• Instant Content Connection: Amagi clients can seamlessly connect their content with no code or engineering required, enabling the quick distribution of VOD and digital linear content.
• Flexible Branding Options: With just their logo and branding, clients can choose from a set of pre-designed screens/layouts for a joint starter package or gain full control with the pre-integrated professional version, allowing for complete brand customization.
• Quick Time to Market: The partnership enables a swift and hassle-free process for content creators to launch their channels on their branded apps on the Web, iOS, Android, HTML cTV and Roku.
• Budget-Friendly Solutions: The collaboration offers a low-risk starter package for clients, providing a cost-effective solution for content distribution.
• Scalable and Adaptable Framework: Thanks to its seamlessness, flexible budget options, and growing feature set, the joint solution ensures customer's streaming and content distribution capabilities can grow alongside their evolving business needs.

"Amagi and Applicaster's joint solution provides a comprehensive streaming and monetization solution across all tiers and needs, offering a quick, stress-free, and cost-effective method for content creators to distribute their channels across multiple platforms," said Daniel Marshall, Executive Vice President, Sales (Global SaaS), Amagi. "Together, we aim to shorten the time to revenue for our customers, foster stronger customer relationships, assist our clients in growing their business, and securing a competitive position in the industry."

ClickDimensions announces a strategic leadership transition with the appointment of a new General Manager, Andrew Jones and departure of Chief Executive Officer, Mike Dickerson, effective January 1, 2024. ClickDimensions as part of the Volaris Group, extends sincere appreciation for Mike Dickerson's substantial contributions during his tenure and wishes him success in his future endeavors.

We are pleased to introduce Andrew Jones as the incoming General Manager, January 1, 2024. Andrew formerly managed the Revenue organization within ClickDimensions and brings a wealth of experience and a distinguished track record in the tech and communications industry. The appointment aligns seamlessly with the company's strategic vision for sustained growth and innovation.

"I am honored to take the helm of ClickDimensions and, alongside our exceptional team, help navigate the next phase of our company's growth," said Andrew. "I have seen first-hand how ClickDimensions has helped customers transform their marketing efforts and I look forward to continuing innovation to make a bigger impact for marketers and our partners."

Dropbox is now an official technology partner of McLaren Formula 1 Team to improve organization, collaboration, and ultimately, save precious time, on and off the track

Today, Dropbox, Inc. and McLaren Racing announced a multi-year partnership with the McLaren Formula 1 Team for the 2024 season and beyond. The partnership marks Dropbox’s first entry into the sport, helping the McLaren team collaborate, share files and content, and save time.

Through the partnership, McLaren will rely on Dropbox for its fast, secure, and reliable syncing and sharing capabilities, in addition to its latest offerings in video collaboration and machine intelligence, to manage vast amounts of content and data, from across the globe.

“I’ve always been inspired by the relentlessness and high performance of the McLaren Formula 1 team,” said Drew Houston, co-founder and CEO of Dropbox. “At Dropbox, we’re building products powered by AI and ML to help teams save time and stay focused on their most important work. We’re thrilled to partner with McLaren in their pursuit of speed and excellence in every facet of the sport.”

“In the competitive and high-performance world of Formula 1, reliability and speed are crucial across all areas of the business,” said Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing. “It‘s great to have Dropbox on board, helping our high performing team work efficiently and seamlessly.”

For years, Dropbox has been trusted by millions of customers to provide secure, reliable syncing and collaboration software. Today, Dropbox offers a whole suite of products, including its newest AI-powered tools, designed to simplify workflows, keep teams focused on their work, and save them time. And in a sport where every hundredth of a millisecond counts, there’s nothing more important than time.

Dropbox branding will feature on the McLaren MCL38, and the driver overalls and helmets of Formula 1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for the 2024 season and beyond.

Annual award program honors 247 individuals who demonstrated exceptional support for the Sitecore community 

Sitecore®, a global leader in end-to-end digital experience management software, today announced the 2024 Sitecore Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs). In its 18^th year, 247 MVPs are chosen for demonstrating outstanding engagement and support for the global Sitecore community.

MVPs are evaluated by a panel of Sitecore employees – ranging from developers to members of the executive team – for their commitment to sharing knowledge and technical expertise with community partners, customers, and prospects. This year, MVPs were identified in the following three categories: Ambassadors (69 members), Strategy (31 members) and Technology (147 members).

Over the 18-year history of Sitecore's MVP program a total of 247 MVPs have been honored at least five times. This year, nine MVPs celebrate a milestone of ten years, they are: Alan Coates, Elizabeth Spranzani, Göran Halvarsson, Himadri Chakrabarti, Jeremy Davis, Kris Verheire, Michael West, Suresh Devanan, Eric Orton, and Vasiliy Fomichev.

"To be back honoring our MVPs for the 18^th year in a row is a true privilege", said Dave O'Flanagan, Sitecore chief product officer. "It's always humbling to see how many people around the world contribute their time, energy and expertise to Sitecore. Each of the 2024 MVPs should be celebrated for deeply enriching our community. Our MVPs really are core to the global Sitecore experience and do a fantastic job to help everyone build the best digital experiences out there."

Elizabeth Spranzani, new ten-time MVP honoree said: "Being a Sitecore MVP is something I treasure just as much today as the first time it was awarded to me 10 years ago. It is hard work because Sitecore sets the bar high. The MVPs are compelled forward each year by a combination of altruism to help others 'figure it out', and the adrenaline rush to plant the flag on an idea, becoming known as a subject matter expert. The community has a level of engagement, dedication, and loyalty that is truly unique compared to any other platform, and I'm thrilled to be a part of that."

Eric Sanner, a first-time MVP added: "I am excited and honored to receive my first Sitecore Technology MVP! I used to think that being a good Sitecore developer, writing blogs and sharing them on social media was enough to become an MVP. It really is about the connections you make. It has been meaningful to become a member of the global Sitecore community. I have met many great people in the past year and made several new friends. This community has a passion for sharing knowledge and learning from each other which will become even more important as the Sitecore platform continues to change and new development practices emerge."

Sitecore MVPs receive exclusive invitations to MVP discussion forums, regional meetings, and the MVP Summit. Recipients also gain access to early product releases, discussions with Sitecore product teams, and exclusive invitations to webinars.

Fast-facts about Sitecore's 2024 MVP honorees:

• One in five honorees named first-time Sitecore MVP
• Sitecore MVPs span 26 countries and more than 90 companies
• Top MVP representation is in the U.S., India, U.K., Australia and the Netherlands
• Montenegro is represented on the MVP coverage list for the first time
• Designations include: 69 Ambassador MVPs, 31 Strategy MVPs, and 147 Technology MVPs
• 5% of MVP winners work directly for Sitecore's customers while 7% are freelance professionals

The company is launching this service to better connect buyers and sellers by infusing simplicity and improved access into the TV ad buying process.

FreeWheel, a global technology platform for the television advertising industry, today announced the launch of its Beeswax Inventory Desk. 

This new offering provides buyers, such as agencies and advertisers, using FreeWheel’s Beeswax technology with a simpler and more efficient way to access premium video ad inventory from the company’s publisher clients and other supply partners. The types of premium video ad inventory available namely span connected television and programmatic video streaming.

The Beeswax Inventory Desk, which functions as an inventory curation service, is designed to better match buyer demand with premium video ad inventory supply. Today’s TV ad ecosystem needs more effective and efficient ways to directly connect the buy and sell sides, and this solution aims to address three current industry needs: the need to remove unnecessary sources of friction, drive greater return on marketing dollars for marketers and improve the viewer experience.

The new Beeswax Inventory Desk unlocks several new opportunities for both sides of the TV ad buying ecosystem:

Buy Side (Advertisers and Agencies):

• Many buyers are unable to have direct, easy access to premium video ad inventory through current industry offerings. Many also do not have established, one-on-one relationships with leading premium video suppliers.
• With this new service, buyers now have a seamless, direct path to premium video supply. The Beeswax Inventory Desk delivers a curated package of premium video ad inventory to meet campaign objectives with automation and efficiency.
• Additionally, buyers reap the benefits of expedited activation and white glove service with fewer programmatic ad hops, resulting in a more optimized supply path to reach their audiences.

Sell Side (Publishers):

• Publishers are increasingly looking to diversify demand sources in today’s TV ad ecosystem
• The inventory curation service helps publishers easily match their supply with demand from buyers on the Beeswax platform and drive new revenue opportunities.
• It eliminates the need for unnecessary product, commercial or operational work. The Beeswax Inventory Desk handles all the heavy lifting on behalf of publishers. They simply need to opt-in to participate.

Currently, there are more than 40 Beeswax customers actively using this new offering. This number includes nearly 250 sourced deals from FreeWheel supply-side customers, including inventory from A+E Networks, AMC Networks and NBCUniversal. Furthermore, the company has seen a 670% increase in spend on deals sourced from the Beeswax Inventory Desk in Q4 2023 versus Q3 2023.

"We know that friction, complexity and fragmentation are key challenges that buyers and sellers across the TV advertising ecosystem face today,” said Matt Clark, VP, Strategic Partnerships, FreeWheel. “And so, one of the ah ha moments behind this service was, ‘How can we make the TV ad buying process simpler, better and with fewer headaches for all so that advertisers’ dollars can work harder and viewers can enjoy a more improved ad experience?’ It is our hope that this new offering will help create a win-win across the TV ad ecosystem.”

“In an era of fragmentation and complexity, FreeWheel’s Beeswax Inventory Desk helps bring some much-needed simplicity as well as direct connections across the TV ad ecosystem,” said David Pudjunis, VP, Digital Revenue Operations & Partnerships, AMC Networks. “Specifically, this exciting offering attracts a new set of advertisers to our content by allowing us to create custom packages that fit the needs of their clients’ campaigns – driving better business results across the board.”

Another current user, Jeromy Sonne, CEO and co-founder of Decibel Ads, said the solution has made the ad buying process simpler, easier, more transparency and efficient.

“This solution has made it faster and easier for our teams to pull in new premium ad inventory for customers. It removes much of the guesswork and greatly reduces the back and forth of wondering whether we’re getting the best – and most fair – price from publishers. In some instances, we’ve helped drive eight figures of incremental revenue for our customers, all while significantly increasing the addressability, relevance, target and reach of their ad campaigns,” he said.

Birdeye, the leading digital customer experience and online reputation management solution, today announced the release of its in-depth report, "State of Google Business Profiles 2024." This groundbreaking report offers an in-depth analysis of how businesses across various industries utilize Google Business Profiles (GBPs) to enhance their online presence, engage customers, and gain deeper insights into consumer behavior.

"In today's digital-first landscape, Google Business Profiles have become essential in shaping how businesses get found and attract customers on Google," said Anil Panguluri, SVP Product of Birdeye. "As the partner with the most integrations across Google, Birdeye is uniquely positioned to provide strategic insights for businesses to stand out in local search and unleash the full potential of GBP."

The report, drawing data from Birdeye's extensive customer base of over 150,000 local businesses, delves into the pivotal role of GBPs in digital marketing. It highlights the evolving trends, challenges, and opportunities in GBP utilization, offering valuable insights for businesses to thrive in the digital era.

Key findings from the report include:

• Verification Rate: 64% of businesses have verified their GBPs, with sectors like Property Management, Hospitality, and Healthcare leading in verification rates.
• Google Messages Adoption: Google Messages is used by 33% of verified GBPs, with notable adoption in the Legal, Consumer Goods & Services, and Automotive industries.
• Search View Dominance: Verified businesses average 1,803 monthly views from Google searches, with Hospitality leading in search views.
• Engagement Metrics: On average, a verified GBP receives about 200 clicks/interactions per month, with 48% of these being website clicks.
• Traffic Drive Sectors: Local businesses average 105 monthly website visits from verified GBPs, with the Recreation, Hospitality, and Automotive sectors driving the most traffic.

Dynamic design consulting and technology veteran brings deep experience in supporting high-growth organizations  

Syniti, a global leader in enterprise data management, today announced that Craig Ayers has joined the company as its chief people officer. In this critical role, Ayers will lead Syniti's global HR function, including talent management, recruiting and employee engagement efforts. In addition, he will oversee the company's Employee Resource Groups, helping sustain and continuously develop the company's unique and inclusive culture.

Ayers comes to Syniti from Journey, a physical and immersive experience design consultancy he co-founded where he served as chief operating officer (COO), chief financial officer (CFO) and board member. While at Journey, he built out operational and financial processes and helped drive the acquisition and integration of businesses aligned with the Journey strategy. Before founding Journey, he served as global CFO/COO at renowned design consultancy, frog design, for nearly nine years until the company was acquired by Capgemini in 2021 as part of Capgemini Invent. Prior to frog design, he developed deep roots in finance, operations and HR at Accenture, including a stint as director and country lead in Mauritius. 

Melanie Payne, CFO & chief business officer, Syniti, said, "Craig brings the creativity and operational experience that make him a perfect fit to lead our culture and talent agenda. We have an engaged and high-performing workforce, which he will continue to build out as Syniti expands its team around the world. We feel fortunate to add him to the team."

Craig Ayers, chief people officer, Syniti, said: "It's the journey and stories that we make together that inspire me and I've been blown away by the talent that I've seen at Syniti already. The company is highly differentiated in a fast-growing market, solving real business data problems for clients in unique ways like its Data First strategy. I'm excited to be a part of this team and help continue to drive success with our people, customers and partners."

World-class executives will provide industry-leading insights and hone strategic direction 

Cordial, the only true marketing platform that empowers brands to fully automate their marketing strategies, today announces the launch of its strategic advisory board. This collection of industry leaders from PacSun, eBay, Gap, Solo, Minted, and more will advise Cordial executives on how best to capitalize on growth opportunities and tackle emerging challenges. These advisors will lend their unparalleled expertise to elevate Cordial as the market leader for delivering highly personalized and unified cross-channel campaigns, enabling brands to maximize customer engagement and drive measurable revenue growth.

With its focus on rapid innovation in marketing automation and robust first-party data collection and activation capabilities, Cordial is more impactful than ever for marketers seeking to engage and retain customers. 2023 was a massive growth year for the company, further cementing Cordial's position at the forefront of the martech landscape. To accelerate this momentum, Cordial has assembled a powerhouse strategic advisory board. Each member brings unique insights and experience from key industries such as news, retail and business consulting. The board will be instrumental in guiding Cordial's continued growth and industry leadership by advising product strategy, enabling growth and brand awareness and participating in market-facing events to drive demand for Cordial's platform.

Some of the current members include:

• Mike Relich, former board member and Co-CEO at PacSun.
• Rachel Frederick, GM at Sur La Table / former Head of Digital & Ops at Gap.
• Elaine Rubin, Board member Destination XL / founder & president of Digital Prophets Network.
• Jenna Flateman Posner, CDO at Solo Brands / former CDO at Snipes.
• Sarah Veit Wallis, COO at Minted / former SVP GM at Gap & Old Navy.

"Over the past year of growth, we've brought together brilliant strategic thinkers and business leaders to help us solidify our position as the undisputed market leader in the customer engagement category," said Jeremy Swift, CEO and co-founder of Cordial. "This group will be instrumental in guiding Cordial's technology vision and extensive services offering to be the best in delivering unmatched outcomes for our customers now, and in the future. I'm confident that their counsel will propel Cordial to new heights through our best-in-class service and AI-forward technology."