Conviva Acquires Delmondo, a Social Video Analytics Startup

Conviva, which delivers real-time measurement of premium streaming video, is digging into the social scene with the acquisition of Delmondo.

Delmondo, founded in 2014, measures video consumption and engagement across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Snapchat and Twitch. With the acquisition, Conviva will become the first company to offer a solution that brings together census-level streaming TV metrics with audience intelligence from social media platforms, according to CEO Bill Demas.

“Our customers will have a better sense of the consumer journey — and how to close the loop,” Demas said.

About a dozen Delmondo employees have joined Conviva, including founder and CEO Nick Cicero, who is now Conviva’s VP of social intelligence. The former Delmondo crew remains based in New York City.

Using Delmondo’s data, TV and video publishers can build content, advertising and promotional strategies using normalized consumption and audience intelligence from the largest social platforms, according to Conviva. For example, Delmondo’s analytics can help streaming providers track how video clips on social sites lead to consumers ultimately subscribing to their service.

Demas also noted that Delmondo is an official Facebook Media Solutions Partner, which gives it real-time intelligence for Facebook Watch, Facebook Live, Instagram and Instagram Stories.

Conviva and Delmondo have several mutual customers, including Turner, Viacom, WWE, and Fox Sports. “Our customers basically asked for this solution,” Demas said. “They said, ‘Let us better understand consumer intent.'”

Turner VP of emerging media Peter Scott, who has worked with both companies, gave a thumbs-up to the acquisition. “Conviva has been terrific in illuminating operational and audience insight heuristics to empower publishers,” he said in a statement. “Adding Delmondo will expand Conviva’s capabilities across social media giving us a complete fandom story.”

Delmondo’s investors included BRaVe Ventures, a strategic media consulting group co-founded by David Beck and Jesse Redniss. Turner acquired BRaVe Ventures in 2016.

Cicero, in a prepared statement, commented, “We’re excited to be merging with Conviva to build out the next-generation measurement and intelligence solution for streaming TV providers that includes premium audience content across social and OTT [over-the-top video services].”

With the acquisition, Delmondo’s analytics service has been rebranded as Conviva Social Insights, sold separately from the Conviva suite of performance-monitoring products. Next spring, Conviva will potentially integrate the Delmondo capabilities into another product, according to Demas.

Conviva bought Delmondo with a mix of cash and stock, according to Demas. He declined to disclose specific financial terms for the deal, which closed Nov. 13.

Foster City, Calif.-based Conviva has about 200 clients globally, including HBO, Hulu, Sky, Dish Network’s Sling TV and Turner. All told, the company monitors some 50 billion video streams per year across 3 billion apps and 200 million users, Conviva says.

Privately held Conviva has raised about $110 million to date from investors including AT&T’s WarnerMedia Investments (formerly Time Warner Investments), Future Fund, New Enterprise Associates, and Foundation Capital. The company has around 250 full-time employees.

By Todd Spangler

Nov 28, 2018 6:00am PT

https://variety.com/2018/digital/news/conviva-acquires-delmondo-social-video-analytics-1203038531/