Sky Media to hold off on late copy surcharges for Adstream users

Sky Media, the advertising sales division of BSkyB, will continue to waive late copy charges into 2005 for a limited period, when advertisers and agencies deliver commercials via Adstream's digital online asset management and distribution service.
Since pioneering the installation of the digital media server at its London and Dublin offices last year, Sky has experienced a 50% increase in digital delivery of commercials, with many of its agency and post house customers using Adstream.
Following the installation of the Adstream media server at the beginning of 2004, Steve Hutchinson, Head of Commercial Traffic at Sky Media, introduced a 'no surcharges' offer to encourage advertisers to switch from analogue submission and to streamline the digital creation, production, and delivery of ads.
Hutchinson said: "The reason we are able to waive the late copy surcharge for a limited period is due to the many benefits that the Adstream system provides us."
Sky now offers its advertisers two options for delivery of commercials: digital delivery and tape delivery via courier. The Adstream solution is the preferred delivery platform for all digital commercial material using a unique set of web-based tools.
"Our decision to integrate Adstream into our ad delivery workflow was based on the feedback and requirements of our advertisers and agencies," added Hutchinson. "We were eager to present all our customers with a better option of supplying Sky with commercial copy and Adstream provided a compelling solution."
Adstream has extensive experience in providing digital advertising workflow services and by using these advertisers: experience significant improvements in delivery speeds and can monitor the progress of deliveries online with email confirmation of receipt. In turn, Sky knows when a commercial has arrived and can access associated production data, confident that quality checks have already been conducted by Adstream and that the material is technically correct for transmission.
Adstream also addresses other production issues: Sky now benefits from the time savings gained by viewing received commercials from the desktop, without the need to hunt down tapes and the facility to request additional copies of commercials.
Chris Aldous, Deputy Traffic Manager commented, "We have seen a significant increase in the amount of commercials we have received via Adstream and the system has proven to be fast, cost effective and efficient".
Founded in Australia in 2001, About Adstream provides digital asset management and distribution services to the global advertising community.
Adstream, www.adstream.com
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