Los Angeles, CA (September 14, 2020) - Pause Commercials, (“PUCs”) announced this week that the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has issued a patent [U.S. Patent #10728619 (“the ‘619 Patent”) - Application Serial #16228607] relating to their proprietary process technology for pause ads in the over-the-top (OTT) media space.
Effective July 28, 2020, the ‘619’ Patent covers the method of delivering video and display ads, as well as making transactions, when users pause any device in OTT. Simply defined, PUCs delivers non-disruptive, non-intrusive, user-initiated relevant ad experiences to consumers when the pause button is pushed.
PUCs’ goal is to generate an incremental revenue stream for publishers with ad supported business models in film, TV, audio, and gaming by complementing traditional pre-, mid-, and post-roll options. Variations of such pause ads can already be seen on AT&T owned DirectTV in video, and in the form of semi-translucent display banners on Hulu, Inc.. Roku and Peacock also announced sponsored pause ad formats during virtual New Fronts presentations.
CEO and Founder Charles Johnson says, “Nearly 70% of us love the free content options from streaming services yet we still get annoyed when ads interrupt our viewing experience. We found a way to frustrate the viewer less by letting them dictate when ads appear and vanish.” Mr. Johnson also states that PUCs do not have to replace traditional digital ads but simply mitigate the number of pre- and mid-roll ads without losing advertising dollars and while still reaching targeted audiences. He continues, “It’s a win-win-win for the publishers, the advertisers, and the subscribers.”
COO Lauri Baker adds, “The time is now for the ad industry to define new, fresh ways for marketers to engage consumers. We’re already starting to see this within the AVOD environment through pause-ads and other formats that empower the consumer to enjoy their own unique experience. Here at PUCs, we’re bringing in a new generation of advertising through our patented process technology. Watch this space, the SVOD eco-system is ripe for exploration of new revenue models and PUCs is perfectly positioned to capitalize on this shift.”
PUCs’ ‘619 Patent, capabilities and innovation support all streaming and on-demand content delivered through internet signals and distributed across Connected TV (CTV), iOS, Android, the web, Unity, and Unreal platforms. Wholly customizable content can be viewed on any device including tablets, computers, gaming consoles, smart phones, and Smart TVs.
PUCs is currently partnered with SpringServe ad server, Germany-based Veeplay for their video playback solutions and Black-owned Revelation Interactive, an entertainment transmedia studio, for their gaming integrations. PUCs is available for licensing now and will be on CTV platforms including Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Samsung in Q1 2021. It is currently available for instream iOS, Android, and web advertising.
About The Founders:
Charles Johnson is the Founder and CEO of Pause Commercials. He is the former COO of a multimedia platform and has worked as a film writer, producer, and distributor at Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros. Before moving into the world of Ad Tech, he received his MBA in Finance and Entrepreneurship from Pepperdine University, and his BA from Columbia College Chicago in Screenwriting and Film.
Ramin Nadaf is the Co-Founder and CTO of Pause Commercials. He has a strong background in Strategic Product Development with an emphasis on in-stream video infrastructure. He was also the CTO of numerous Enterprise Cloud and Mobile Custom Software Development projects. He holds MS and MBA degrees from the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Keller Graduate School of Management.
About The Company:
PUCs is redefining marketing norms and changing advertising as we know it in our growing streaming world. As competition for attention increases, everyone - marketers, publishers, platforms, and distributors - are looking for fresh monetization strategies that attract consumer attention. We work with you to customize your needs to fuel this new digital economy. Our patented technology is a low latency, server-to-server advertising solution with integrations into top-tier OTT ad-serving platforms that can personalize brands and improve KPIs through video and display ads.
PUCs was established in 2017 in Los Angeles, California by Charles Johnson, a Black entrepreneur, and writer who understands diversity issues in both Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Teaming with Iranian-American video tech expert Ramin Nadaf, Johnson and Nadaf built a team of experts, consisting of women and people of color with decades of success in technology, advertising, entertainment, and business. Collectively, their professional backgrounds tackle technical and social issues throughout ad tech, Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and Madison Avenue.