In an announcement, Comcast Cable Advertising unveiled its next segment of the revolutionary initiative Blockgraph which is aimed at fostering a reliable way of sharing information and using data. In a collaborative effort to bring about the safe exchange of viewer insights compliant with the privacy standards for advertising, Comcast Cable Advertising a segment of the Comcast Corporation has also reached out to other companies like Spectrum Reach and Viacom.
With this platform, the participants can control and secure their data too. At the same time, they can profit from the combined insights of the complete user network. When adopted by other media organizations, it will help in the creation of a private and secure “identity layer” for the consumers.
This blockchain-enabled system brings an additional layer of protection for user data in the TV industry by eliminating the need to disclose this identifiable data to third parties. By providing a common platform for publishers and media companies to offer advertisers first-rate data capabilities, Blockgraph improves the productivity and efficiency of the genre of TV advertising and marketing that is data-driven. Blockgraph is nurtured and kept up-to-date with Comcast’s FreeWheel group.
The Blockgraph software is the answer to the TV advertising industry’s data activation problems. It is a system which benefits all the stakeholders – the buyers, sellers, and consumers. The privacy settings of Blockgraph allow the participants to manage and control their own user data by keeping it in their system itself.
“Data is a valuable and sensitive asset for media companies and consumers so understandably, it must be protected,” said Jason Manningham, General Manager at Blockgraph. “At the same time, data is now the fuel powering media and advertising. The TV community needs to ensure that we can compete with the data capabilities of digital-first companies. We understand that providing a safe way to protect data while benefitting from collective insights is the path forward. And we believe Blockgraph offers that path.”
Blockgraph, being a peer-to-peer system, allows the participants and users to execute secure, encrypted, and non-identifiable blind matches with each other directly. Plus, participants can also reap the benefits of shared insights into the network. These advantages of Blockgraph eliminate the disadvantages of the current system wherein the data between the concerned parties such as media companies and advertisers, is sent to a third-party entity for stitching.
Comcast is currently in talks with several leading companies to facilitate its early rollout and implementation. Among the software’s earliest partners that helped to put the structure and roadmap of Blockgraph in place is “Viacom”.
“Viacom has long been committed to advancements in television advertising and industry collaboration to deliver better ads for clients and enhance the consumer experience,” said Kern Schireson, Executive Vice President and Chief Data Officer at Viacom. “We’re happy to partner with Comcast on Blockgraph’s technology and platform to facilitate the valuable exchange of data insights as a necessary catalyst to scale our collective capabilities.”
Spectrum Reach is another top company associated with Blockgraph almost since its inception.
“It’s imperative that the use of data prioritizes the privacy of consumers’ personal information,” said David Kline, Executive Vice President, and President of Spectrum Reach. “Blockgraph’s technology offers enhanced security and privacy protections by allowing all players within the TV ecosystem to directly share insights derived from anonymized and aggregated information. We support this initiative believing it will help set the standard for secure information sharing in the years to come.”
“Blockgraph is another example of the industry coming together to adopt new standards and technologies that will allow us to compete more effectively as a medium, while simultaneously delivering more value to our advertising clients,” said Paola Colombo, General Manager Adtech & Business Development at Pubitalia, the advertising unit of Mediaset, Italy’s leading commercial broadcaster. “Since Blockgraph is a peer-to-peer network, the greater the adoption by the TV industry, the greater the potential depth and scale of its data insights. We look forward to working together with our partners on this collaborative effort.”
“Comcast has invested in building the Blockgraph technology, but we do not want this to remain solely a Comcast-led initiative. We are inviting the entire TV industry to participate in Blockgraph so that it becomes a true industry undertaking,” said Marcien Jenckes, President of Comcast Cable Advertising. “When scaled, non-personally identifiable data becomes available to all, the focus shifts to what a provider is able to do with that data and how it can be used to drive outcomes. We believe that when advanced data capabilities are paired with TV and premium video’s awareness and engagement advantages, results will be difficult to beat.”
