Really Rocket Science

Thanks to PixelPusher for sending this over a couple of weeks ago.

We used to joke “people need to know how to spell satellite” before they can do marketing or p.r. work for us. Maybe the satellite folks should learn how to spell “possibility” — or at the very least learn how to proofread their ads before they’re submitted for publishing.

The above ad, which really doesn’t say much, ran on the cover wrap of the 16 January 2012 issue of Multichannel News, opposite a lead story on DISH Network (a big wholesale customer for SES in North America).

At least they know to run a satellite business. Nice launch from Baikonur, and successfully separating SES-4. In this Russian video, they refer to SES-4 as “the Dutch satellite.”

In their “boilerplate,” they write “SES stands for long-lasting business relationships, high-quality service and excellence in the broadcasting industry.” Us rocket scientist know SES actually stands for “Société Européenne des Satellites” and that they’re based in the Groussherzogtum Lëtzebuerg (Grand Duchy of Luxembourg), not Holland.

Is this what we’re about to see on our satellite TV systems? If the deal between DirecTV and NDS is any indication, you can count on it.

NDS will deliver key elements of its NDS Dynamic suite of advanced advertising solutions including local DVR video ad insertion and advertising audience measurement capabilities.

The NDS Dynamic components delivered to DIRECTV will be deployed on DIRECTV’s SD DVRs allowing seamless insertion of household addressable ads into both live and recorded video content from the DVR hard drive.

The implementation for DIRECTV will also see the extension of their existing audience measurement capabilities, already supported by NDS Dynamic. DIRECTV will now be able to collect data on local ad insertion events. This data will support the revenue-generating potential of addressable advertising on the DIRECTV platform with the ability to generate solid feedback on the ads that have been viewed.

DirecTV is after the local cable companies’ ad sales market, which had a pretty good year in 2010.