Akamai integrates Adobe Primetime to increase the reach and scalability of online video advertising

The joint technology solution, which Turner Broadcasting has already piloted, simplifies dynamic server-side ad insertion while maximizing device reach and enhancing the viewer experience.

Akamai Technologies has integrated Adobe Primetime ad insertion capabilities into its network to simplify and improve the way online video ads are delivered. The server-side advertising offering combines the scale of Akamai's global CDN with the reach of Adobe Primetime and its ad insertion technology.

Red Bull Media House and Turner Broadcasting have already begun testing the new solution as part of a preview of the technology.

Andi Gall, CTO of Red Bull Media House, defends that "the quality of the content that Red Bull Media House produces and delivers is intrinsically linked to its value. The collaboration between Akamai and Adobe simplifies the delivery of online video ads, and helps Red Bull Media House to effectively monetize its content across different platforms and devices."

Akamai and Adobe have long collaborated on some of the world's largest online events to date, including the Super Bowls, the Olympic Games, the World Cup, and March Madness, among many others. Having played a critical role in making online video ubiquitous, both companies are now leveraging their joint experience and expertise to help simplify advertising across devices and platforms.

Server-side network-level ad insertion offers numerous benefits to advertisers, content providers, and consumers.

Among others, opportunities are generated to monetize television content on any screen, any format, with any ad decision-making technology. Publishers that rely on advertising revenue need to be able to trust that their content and ads can play across an increasingly fragmented landscape of connected devices. This helps ensure access to larger audiences and greater revenue opportunities through a scalable dynamic advertising solution that is based on proven technologies.

Akamai's support for Adobe Primetime ad insertion is designed to ensure a quality viewing experience. The solution adapts bitrates between programming and ads within a single stream to create smooth transitions between pieces of content for a larger audience and different device sizes.

On the other hand, Server-Side Ad Insertion synthesizes several resource-intensive player-to-network processes such as code inclusion and login. This helps reduce the complexities of reaching a fragmented range of connected devices and facilitates a shorter time to market for new devices.

Reducing the processing power load placed on the video player and device reduces the risk of buffering, helping to drive better viewer experiences, higher engagement, and reducing the potential for abandonment and negative brand association. Delivering content and ads as an individual stream from the server also helps mitigate vulnerabilities in ad blocking software.

The integration of ad insertion and content delivery features enables a clearer, deeper view of advertising performance metrics such as views, engagement, and video quality to support reporting and troubleshooting capabilities.