Crackle Plus Adds SpotX to Monetize OTT Inventory Across New Distribution Channels

SpotX, the leading global video advertising platform, today announced a strategic partnership with Crackle Plus to serve as a primary supply-side platform (SSP) to power the video monetization of Crackle Plus inventory across both existing and new distribution channels.

Crackle Plus, a Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment (Nasdaq: CSSE) company, linear and VOD networks are available in the US and can be accessed on up to 29 devices and services including Amazon FireTV, RokuTV, Apple TV, Smart TVs (Samsung, LG, and VIZIO), gaming consoles (PS4 and XBox One), iOS and Android mobile devices, and on desktop at Crackle.com. Crackle is also available in approximately 500,000 hotel rooms in the Marriott Bonvoy chain.

Crackle Plus is enhancing Crackle and Popcornflix's video-on-demand (VOD) experiences, as it expands its marketing activities into the new world of free, ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels. Crackle Plus recently announced new VOD and linear distribution on fuboTV, Philo, Plex, VIDAA, VIZIO Watch Free, and XUMO.

By unlocking content on these platforms and MAKING IT easily discoverable, Crackle Plus is making its content available to up to 60+ million new viewers across these new linear and VOD distribution channels in 2021.

As part of the part of the agreement, Crackle Plus will use Total Connect+, a new capability SpotX has brought to market powered by joint efforts between video ad server SpringServe and SpotX, to intelligently route inventory across these new distribution channels while powering the programmatic enablement of the newly unlocked inventory. Total Connect+ enables server-to-server connections with SSPs, as well as advanced podding features, synced campaigns, united audience data, and forecasting.

Crackle Plus is also packaging premium content and overlaying third-party data via SpotX's Audience Management Engine (AME) to enrich its inventory and create audience-enabled programmatic guaranteed campaigns with specific market segments. Crackle Plus' programmatic capabilities include targeting by genre and deal IDs powered by SpotX, data-layered measurement support for attribution and analysis transparency, with series- and show-level reporting capabilities currently in development.

"SpotX's programmatic infrastructure, data enablement capabilities, and expert service have positioned them as a highly-valued monetization partner," said Darren Olive, EVP of National Advertising Sales & Strategy at Crackle Plus. "Together, SpotX and SpringServe also offer state-of-the-art ad serving and inventory management, and we are excited to deploy SpotX's sophisticated header bidding solution, Total Connect+, to maximize yield and campaign performance for all our ad partners."

"Crackle Plus continues to lead the AVOD streaming service providers in delivering unique reach across its top original and exclusive programming. Their content has exceptionally high engagement and time spent on the platform by audiences is growing rapidly," said Mike Laband, SVP of Platform at SpotX. "Their premium, brand-safe inventory is particularly appealing to advertisers because it offers little overlap with traditional broadcasters, thus providing incremental reach against the increasing audience of cord-cutters. We are also very excited to add Crackle's new live streaming supply that will further increase the scale of its private marketplaces."