SF Anytime faced challenges with a PC-only download model in 2009, with limited device support and infrastructure. They worked with Neon Stingray to develop a structured product roadmap addressing devices, rights, hardware partnerships, a multi-platform user experience, and product management tools. This helped SF Anytime achieve profitable organic growth through a mix of direct and indirect channels, and breadth of device coverage including traditional and emerging devices.
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SF Anytime Case Study - Connected Entertainment 2012
1. International Case Study
Delivering the Next Generation Connected
Entertainment Experience: SF Anytime
Chris Flintoft
CEO & Co-Founder Neon Stingray
3. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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)
5. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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
6. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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
8. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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)
11. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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
12. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
How We Helped SF
Created a Structured Product Roadmap
Devices Rights Hardware User Experience Management
14. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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 benefit
• 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
16. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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
18. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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
20. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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 flexibility for “white label” affiliate networks
22. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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.
23. CONNECTED ENTERTAINMENT 2012
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)