Metacafe Bolsters Leadership in Online Video with Introduction of New Premium Entertainment Hubs in the UK

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Metacafe^® continues to advance its leadership in making online video a powerful marketing platform for brand advertisers tasked with reaching today’s multitasking, media-snacking consumers. On the heels of 40% growth in UK viewership and 86% growth worldwide from April 2008 to April 2009¹, Metacafe is today introducing its first three premium entertainment hubs in the UK, which are prominently featured in a new home page design.

“With nearly 40 million people in the UK watching online video each month, the digital opportunity is a compelling one for content providers and brand advertisers alike2”

By showcasing premium content in key entertainment categories – initially, Movie Trailers, Music Videos and Sports Highlights – Metacafe is making it easy for consumers to find and discover great videos that suit their tastes, preferences and mood of the moment, which also caters to brand marketers’ desire to associate with premium content and reach consumers in and around these entertainment categories.

“Metacafe is committed to advancing online video as a media business, serving the needs of viewers, content creators and brand advertisers alike,” said Erick Hachenburg, CEO of Metacafe. “Unlike online TV destinations and video-sharing platforms, Metacafe is committed to presenting the full spectrum of content in a way that provides today’s consumers the choice they demand and enables advertisers to connect with them when and where they are immersed in the entertainment experience.”

Since engaging Perform Sales to represent advertising sales for Metacafe in the UK last autumn, Metacafe has worked with leading UK advertisers across industries including consumer electronics, entertainment, food and beverage, FMCG, and others. Campaigns have included custom home page skins, rich media executions, viral video distribution and branded entertainment channels, ensuring advertisers’ brands receive a high share of voice and are well integrated into the online entertainment experience.

Additionally, Metacafe today announced that Tim Rottach has joined the company as head of UK content, based in London. Rottach brings nearly 10 years of digital media and technology experience, most recently serving as Director of Content Strategy and Acquisition for Joost. He is working closely with content creators, distributors and broadcasters in the UK to help them grow audience and revenues online via strategic relationships with Metacafe.

“With nearly 40 million people in the UK watching online video each month, the digital opportunity is a compelling one for content providers and brand advertisers alike²,” said Tim Rottach, head of UK content for Metacafe. “Metacafe’s focus on connecting viewers with the videos they love and advertisers with the consumers they serve is driving our continued momentum as a leader in this sector. The move to add and showcase more premium content will further accelerate that momentum.”

The new Metacafe home page features a first-of-its-kind “billboard” ad unit with unmatched flexibility that empowers advertisers to communicate their message via a high-impact image, a custom Flash execution or an in-unit video player. The three new premium entertainment hubs, the first of several to come over the course of 2009, are:

• Movie Trailers, featuring HD – showcasing theatrical and home video releases from every major Hollywood studio and including HD capability
• Music Videos – featuring top artists and up-and-coming acts in Pop, Rock, Metal, Electronic, R&B and Hip Hop
• Sports Highlights – featuring a raft of premium sports content from Perform’s Omnisport.tv sports catalogue, which includes leading European club and International football, ATP tennis, PGA Tour golf and many more

Each hub will be promoted across the Metacafe site, ensuring consumers can easily find the premium entertainment content they’re looking for and providing brand extension opportunities for hub sponsors. Additional content partners will be integrated into these hubs in the coming weeks and months, and additional hubs including TV Clips and Video Game Trailers will be launching over the course of 2009.

About Metacafe^® – Entertainment That Connects

Metacafe^® is the world’s leading independent online video site. We connect consumers with the entertainment content they love and brand advertisers with the consumers they serve. The company is teaming with content creators including top movie studios, music labels, professional sports leagues, television networks and best-of-the-web production firms to deliver an exceptional entertainment experience to its more than 53 million unique monthly viewers, nearly 2.5 million of them in the UK¹. The privately held company is headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, and has offices in New York City, Los Angeles, London and Tel Aviv. For more information – and millions of entertaining videos – visit www.metacafe.com.

About Perform

Perform is a world leader in monetising sports and entertainment rights in digital media and has been a consistent and renowned innovator since 2000, and a major driving force in the commercialisation of sport and entertainment rights online, on mobile and on TV.

Perform provides a range of user friendly, end-to-end products and services for businesses involved in sport and entertainment rights:

• Sales: We sell advertising, sponsorship and content partnerships around sport and entertainment on a wide network of UK and international web and mobile sites
• Services: We provide the platform and tools that enable rights holders to place, manage and monetise their content online and on mobile.
• Channels: We own and distribute branded and white label sport and entertainment channels for broadcast online and on mobile.

Perform operates over 200 websites including those for over 80 UK Football Clubs, Cricket Australia, ITV, Turner Broadcasting and works with various rights holders, including The Premier League, Virgin Media and the ATP Masters Series.

www.performgroup.com

¹ comScore , April 2009

² comScore, February 2009