Akamai partners with SonyLIV

The cloud delivery platform enables dynamic ad insertion for Live cricket

Akamai Technologies, Inc. — a cloud delivery platform — has announced that SonyLIV — the premium video on demand (VOD) service by Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), providing multi-screen engagement to users on all devices, leveraged Akamai's Dynamic Ad Insertion capabilities during the India-South Africa cricket series held over January and February 2018.

According to the press release shared by the company, SonyLIV was the official and exclusive mobile and internet broadcaster for the India tour of South Africa series and delivered it to millions of users seamlessly across a variety of devices. Digital advertisers gained the most through the course of the series, with Akamai’s Dynamic Ad Insertion delivering targeted advertisements during the live stream. With this partnership SonyLIV achieved a near 100 per cent ad fill rate without compromising on the viewing experience for users.

Sidharth Pisharoti, regional vice president, Media, Asia Pacific and Japan, Akamai Technologies, says, “SonyLIV has a vast library of original content. However, in India, few entertainment options have the capability to attract mass audiences such as cricket. While the challenge on the one hand is to keep audiences engaged with a TV-like experience, the equally hard part is ensuring that advertisers see value in leveraging digital platforms to drive views and consequently, revenue through advertisements. With Akamai’s capabilities, we were able to successfully deliver what audiences and advertisers wanted over the course of the India-South Africa series.”

Uday Sodhi, EVP and business head, digital business, Sony Pictures Networks (SPN), adds, “The India Tour of South Africa series was a huge success for SonyLIV and our audiences had a seamless experience throughout. We partnered with Akamai and leveraged their technology and added it to our already existing capabilities. The series was a huge hit with all the brands we associated with.”