Nielsen has expanded its dynamic ad insertion (DAI) test program for live, linear national TV shows, bringing in another programming partner, A+E Networks.

Nielsen also said that it's adding a technology partner, MediaTek, which it says makes semiconductors that are in half of the world’s smart TVs.

The program will conduct live trials starting next month in five U.S. markets: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Minneapolis and Tampa.

At its upfront presentation in May, Nielsen announced that it would partner on the test with CBS and Gracenote, the latter of which will contribute its video content recognition technology.

As part of the pilot, A+E Networks and CBS will be the first programmers to dynamically replace traditional linear TV advertisements, as well as show and network promotions, with targeted advertisements.

“Nielsen recognizes the huge opportunity addressable TV presents for our clients,” said Kelly Abcarian, senior VP of product leadership for Nielsen, in a statement. “So, we’ve worked hard to create an advanced DAI solution that covers everything from ad targeting to delivery. As the result of our expanded DAI pilot with leading smart TV platforms and manufacturers and some of the largest broadcast and cable networks, marketers will be able to better realize the value of their advertising inventory, achieve maximum return on their ad spend and viewers will see messages that are most relevant to them.”

The dynamic ad replacement and delivery platform considers audience gender and age, as well as advanced demographics to deliver addressable advertising. Advertisers and networks will be able to leverage the joint Gracenote-MediaTek DAI solution to expand their traditional linear TV ad offerings and maximize the value of their ad inventory.

Canoe, the MSO-backed supplier of a dynamic ad insertion platform for VOD, said it delivered about 4.13 billion ad impressions in Q1 2016, a 70% increase over the year-ago period.

Based on Q1 figures, Canoe is on pace to deliver 16.52 billion VOD ad impression in 2016. The advanced ad joint venture delivered 11.8 billion impressions in 2015, and 6.3 billion ad impressions in 2014.

Canoe also pumped out 1,751 total campaigns in Q1 2016, of which 75% were for external client ad campaigns, and 25% were for network tune-in ads.

Canoe’s platform currently supports about 35 million homes via systems served by partners Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks. Two in that group, TWC and Bright House, are in the process of being acquired by Charter Communications, a former member of the Canoe crew.  Canoe also works with more than 80 national networks, including ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, NBC, Discovery, HGTV and TNT, among others.

Per Canoe’s latest report, the bulk of the VOD ad impressions were for mid-roll spots (3.55 million), versus 465 million pre-roll spots, and 115.9 million post-roll spots. The average ad opportunities per break boiled down to one for pre-rolls, four for mid-rolls and one for post-rolls.  

Ad impressions for the quarter were spread fairly evenly by day of the week, though were unsurprisingly the heaviest on the weekends.

 “Cable Video on Demand continues to be an incredibly valuable advertising vehicle for programmers, cable operators, and brands” Canoe CEO Joel Hassell said in a statement. “We are well on our way to doubling the number of dynamic ads impressions delivered through Canoe for the fourth consecutive year and we couldn’t be happier with positive results reported by our programming customers.”

Canoe, the MSO-backed advanced advertising venture, said its dynamic VOD ad insertion platform served up 2.56 billion ads in the first quarter of 2015, soundly beating the mere 803.84 million it pumped out in the year-ago quarter, and just ahead of the 2.52 billion it delivered in Q4 2014.

The Q1 total, which reflects the venture’s broader rollout with MSO partners and with a bigger group of programmers, puts Canoe on pace for 10.24 billion viewed ad impressions for all of 2015 and crush the 6.3 billion viewed ad impressions it served up for all of 2014.

In its VOD Viewed Ad Impression 2015 Q1 Report, Canoe said the vast majority of ads were mid-rolls (2.1 billion), versus 273.1 million pre-rolls and 94.73 million post-rolls (see chart above). During the quarter, ad impressions were weighted the weekends -- Saturdays (439M ads) and Sundays (432.1M ads).

Canoe ran 912 VOD ad campaigns in the quarter – 86% were for external ad client campaigns, while the rest were for network tune-ins. That’s up from 864 campaigns in the fourth quarter of 2014, which was comprised of 78% external client ad campaigns.

Canoe, a J.V. of Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Communications and Bright House Networks, said its DAI-VOD footprint currently covers 35 million-plus homes in over 130 MDAs.

Advanced advertising company BlackArrow announced Tuesday that CEO Dean Denhart is stepping down after seven years in the role, and that company president Nick Troiano will be assuming Denhart's duties. 

Under Denhart (pictured), BlackArrow has secured dynamic ad insertion deals with operators such as Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Rogers Communications, Bright House Networks, giving it a reach of more than 32 million homes worldwide. BlackArrow also works with Canoe, the advanced ad J.V. backed by Comcast, Cox Communications, TWC, and Bright House, that recently announced that it has inserted more than 10 billion ads into VOD content since launching that capability about two years ago. 

“Denhart oversaw exceptional growth at BlackArrow and helped establish the company as the leading advertising technology provider to pay-TV operators," said Michael Pohl, chairman of the board at BlackArrow, in a statement. “The Board is appreciative of what he and the executive staff have achieved and the transition of leadership to Nick positions BlackArrow for continued success.”

“Dean has been a key part of BlackArrow’s success and he has positioned us well for the future,” added Troiano, who has served as BlackArrow’s president for the last five years. “The dynamics of the pay-TV advertising industry are changing and I’m excited to lead BlackArrow into our next chapter of growth.”

Update: In an interview, Troiano said Denhart and the BlackArrow board had discussed the timing of his transition out of the company so he could pursue other things. Denhart, Troiano added, will remain an advisor to BlackArrow and help wtih the transition. 

Earlier this year, industry sources said BlackArrow company was working with advisors to explore potential “strategic options” (subscription required), including a possible sale, for the advanced ad firm, which originally targeted set-tops boxes, but has been branching into advertising systems for IP-connected platforms. BlackArrow’s future position, particularly when it comes to IP-delivered video at Comcast, came under some question in March, when the nation’s largest cable operator acquired FreeWheel.

Although BlackArrow has historically focused on QAM-based set-tops, it has the ability to insert ads on IP-based platforms as consumers continue to gravitate viewing on devices like tablets. “We do both today for pretty much all of our customers,” Troiano said. But he said the bulk of the volume of dynamic ad insertion for VOD in cable footprints is still on the set-top box. “QAM-based based set-top box VOD far outstrips any kind of VOD viewing in the home [versus] other types of devices and platforms.” 

BlackArrow has been seeking other growth paths for its dynamic ad insertion management and campaign platform. In September, the company expanded into Europe and opened an office in London that will also serve as the home of a data center for the market.

“International expansion is a big opportunity for us,” Troiano said, noting that operators in Europe and other countries are “slightly behind” the U.S. when it comes to VOD monetization.  “We have some significant announcements coming very quickly about our growth there.” 

Canoe, the MSO-backed advanced advertising joint venture, said it has crossed a milestone of inserting its 10 billionth ad into video-on-demand (VOD) content, reaching that mark in roughly two years.

Following a major restructuring in February 2012, when Canoe shut down its interactive advertising unit to refocus efforts solely on VOD dynamic ad insertion, the J.V. began to insert ads into set-top-based VOD content in October 2012.  

The bulk of 10 billion ads inserted so far occurred during 2014, according to Chris Pizzurro, Canoe’s head of product, sales and marketing. He expects Canoe to “easily double that number next year.” Pizzurro is scheduled to join a panel on “Big Data” on Thursday (November 13) at 9:55 a.m. ET at the Advanced Advertising component of NYC Television Week, an event hosted by Multichannel News, Broadcasting & Cable, TV Technology and RatingsIntelligence.

Canoe’s VOD DAI platform currently reaches more than 30 million digital cable homes nationwide. Following initial deployments across Comcast and Time Warner Cable, Canoe is in the process of getting fully deployed with its two other MSO partners – Cox Communications and Bright House Networks – during the fourth quarter of 2014.

On the programming end, Canoe now has DAI deals in place with the nation's Big Four broadcasters, as well as Viacom, Angry Birds Toons, Scripps Networks, AMC, A+E Networks, several networks from the Turner Broadcasting System stable, and Sportskool, among others.  Canoe recently added The CW Television Network to its programming partner roster according to this page on the Canoe Web site.

Canoe estimates that it is stewarding ads on behalf of more than 50 TV networks, with another 70 networks in the “on-boarding” process.

Canoe is also looking to complement its current QAM-based VOD platform with support for DAI in VOD streams delivered over IP to the home.