Advanced Television

UltraViolet set for Tesco boost

July 30, 2013

By Colin Mann

Digital content ownership ecosystem UltraViolet is set to receive a boost to its adoption in the UK, according to research specialist YouGov.

Discussing industry dynamics during a London briefing on ‘Content on Demand’ organised by the Digital Television Group, Shaun Austin, associate director for media consulting at YouGov, suggested that moving forward, supermarket group Tesco was well placed to benefit from content consumption trends and that its blinkbox digital content operation could be instrumental in driving the take-up of UltraViolet.

Noting a general lack of familiarity with UltraViolet, Austin reported that among those surveyed in advance of the briefing, 12 per cent said they were likely to use UltraViolet after their next purcase of a Blu-ray disc or DVD. 22 per cent of respondents who had not used UltraViolet before said they were likely to do so in the future, with 55 per cent of people who had used it before said they were now likely to do so. Sixteen per cent with low familiarity of the ecosystem said they were likely to try, with 72 per cent of respondents ‘highly familiar’ intending to use it in the future.

“Blu-rays and DVDs available in-store at Tesco now feature an UltraViolet sticker,” advised Austin. “With players such as Tesco in position to explain its benefits to customers, UltraViolet awareness looks set to grow.”

Earlier in July, trade bodies DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group (DEG) and Media & Entertainment Services Alliance Europe (MESA Europe), in association with the Digital Entertainment Content Ecosystem (DECE), announced the running in September of an UltraViolet ‘Academy’ to provide an update on UltraViolet’s roll-out, profile key learning to date, and foster discussion on both global and European territory-specific opportunities and imperatives for UltraViolet.

“Continuing to ramp up the UK, and launching French- and German-speaking Europe, are critical focus areas for UltraViolet in the coming year,” said Mark Teitell, General Manager of DECE. “In that context, this event is an important opportunity for today’s UltraViolet implementers and stakeholders to come together with UK and European peers within the industry.”

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