Dailymotion DMX:
Maximizing Advertising Revenue
Background
In 2016, Vivendi acquired Dailymotion to serve as the cornerstone for monetizing its content properties, including Canal+, Gameloft, and Universal Music Group. To unlock the full revenue potential of these assets, Vivendi committed to creating a proprietary ad tech platform capable of unifying all demand sources and programmatically selling the majority of inventory within a private exchange.
The Challenge
Vivendi faced significant challenges in achieving its vision:
Disparate Demand Sources: Unifying all demand streams required building a scalable platform from scratch.
Aggressive Timeline: The MVP needed to ship within six months to align with monetization goals.
Operational Migration: The internal team required a seamless transition from legacy systems to the new platform.
Resource Constraints: Delivering a robust, full-featured platform demanded efficient reuse of components and streamlined development practices.
The Solution: Dailymotion Real-Time Bidding SSP
As Head of Product for the console, I spearheaded the development of a comprehensive Supply-Side Platform (SSP) tailored to Vivendi’s needs. The platform delivered advanced capabilities for real-time bidding, inventory management, and analytics, all while simplifying deployment and operational migration.
Key Features:
Inventory Management: Full visibility and control over ad inventory, with tools for segmenting and targeting based on content type, audience demographics, and more.
Deal Creation and Management: Enabled private and programmatic deals, empowering publishers to maximize revenue while maintaining control over pricing and partnerships.
Embedded Reporting and Analytics: Provided real-time insights into performance, revenue trends, and audience engagement, allowing data-driven decision-making.
Design and Development Approach:
Module Reuse for Efficiency: Implemented consistent modules and design patterns to reduce development overhead and accelerate deployment.
User-Centered Design: Leveraged detailed taxonomy charts and PRDs to ensure seamless usability for operational teams.
Collaborative Architecture: Worked as both product architect and acting tech lead to align technical design with product strategy.
The Results
1. Successful MVP Launch:
The platform’s MVP was delivered on schedule within six months, meeting its core goals of inventory management, targeting, and programmatic capabilities.
2. Full Monetization Achieved:
The SSP empowered Vivendi to maximize revenue streams across all properties by consolidating demand and streamlining ad operations.
3. Scalable Foundation:
The platform’s modular design enabled rapid iteration and expansion, supporting Vivendi’s long-term ad tech roadmap.
4. Operational Transformation:
A seamless go-to-market (GTM) strategy and operational migration ensured successful adoption by internal teams, with minimal disruption to existing workflows.
Conclusion
The Dailymotion Real-Time Bidding SSP demonstrated how focused product management, strategic architecture, and user-centered design can deliver a transformative ad tech solution. By enabling Vivendi to unify its demand streams and programmatically monetize inventory, the platform set the foundation for a sustainable OTT digital advertising strategy.
This case illustrates the power of aligning technical excellence with strategic business goals to create impactful, scalable solutions.
