Endemol strikes ad embedding deal in India

Endemol has struck a deal with UK-based firm MirriAd and created a joint venture company that will exploit advertising embedding opportunities in the fast-growing Indian TV market.

The new entity, in video branded entertainment, will look for opportunities to utilise ZoneSense, a product that allows props, backdrops and video content to be inserted into pre-existing shows.

MirriAd teamed with Endemol after attending the formats company’s annual Global Advertising conference, held in the Netherlands. Kian Kormi, MirriAd’s VP, Asia, says that Endemol divisions in other territories are now exploring the idea of setting up JVs along similar lines.

The Indian market lends itself well to product placement. There is little regulation governing advertising insertion and ad-funded programming and an explosion of channels and burgeoning advertising market. Advertisers have, however, recently threatened to pull ads because of the levels of repeated programming on air.

"Endemol will bring its relationship with broadcasters and its business development resources to the JV," Kormi says. "This works well at the moment because the value of content in the Indian market is being driven down and there is pressure on advertising rate cards."

MirriAd is also working on a North American deal that will see its embedded advertising solution used across a range of cable channels.

Most Recent