VUBIQUITY Unveils New Initiative

VUBIQUITY has announced a new initiative that would allow consumers to buy digital content – initially movies – in high street shopping outlets. The premium content services provider confirmed it had been in discussion with multiple retailers in a number of territories, regarding the product. The announcement reflects the company's intention to move into the global digital retail space.

As part of the expansion, VUBIQUITY has hired Rob Salter, formerly CEO of Reverbz Media Ltd, to lead the initiative as Vice President of Retail at VUBIQUITY. Before founding Reverbz, Salter was Category Director (Media & Entertainment) at Tesco, and previously Global Vice President Wal-Mart, Global Sourcing at Handleman Company, CEO of Blueprint Digital Ltd, and Sales & Marketing Director at Entertainment UK Ltd.

The initiative will utilise VUBIQUITY's experience in powering transactional digital content services, as well as Reverbz' knowledge of retail's fulfilment demands to create an immersive digital retail experience. VUBIQUITY will provide the necessary digital content services, including content licensing, processing for multiplatform viewing, metadata management, and digital distribution. Reverbz will provide the physical supply chain in the retail environment.

The product will mean consumers will ultimately be able to purchase digital movies in retail outlets, sometimes weeks before they are available on DVD, Blu-ray or video-on-demand (VOD). Many content owners, including Hollywood studios, make available new-release titles in the electronic sell-through (EST) window ahead of DVD, Blu-ray or VOD.

Rob Salter, Vice President for Retail at VUBIQUITY, explained: "I am thrilled to be working with VUBIQUITY. We see an excellent opportunity to grow significant business in this channel. Retailers have driven the growth of home entertainment and the building of personal video collections since the first VHS tapes in the mid-1980s. We believe retailers will continue to be a key part of the future of selling video in the digital age. Vubiquity wants to support retailers' ambitions to go on selling content to their customers in disc form, and also help them go beyond the disc into digital ownership and consumption."

Nick Ruczaj, SVP Commercial EMEA at VUBIQUITY, added: "We are delighted to have brought Rob to the VUBIQUITY team. Together we bring a wealth of retail and supply chain management experience giving the credibility to our customers to help shape and deliver these exciting new retail services. We will provide a range of fully integrated, end-to-end services that are very compelling for retailers, content owners and consumers alike. VUBIQUITY has the scale and resources to support the digital retail experience that the market has been calling for a response to for the last 12 months. We are excited to be moving into the delivery phase."

www.vubiquity.com

(JP)