Veeple in Deal with BitGravity, Unveils Enhancements to its Interactive Video Platform

Veeple, a Palo Alto, Calif.-based company that specializes in interactive online video solutions for marketers (note: for an in-depth overview of the company's products and strategy, see the interview with its co-founder and CEO, Scott Broomfield, that was published on itvt.com, April 22nd), announced Wednesday that it has signed an agreement with BitGravity, a company which offers a content delivery network (CDN) that it bills as optimized for delivering HD-quality video live, on-demand and via interactive applications. Veeple also announced a number of new service enhancements for its platform, which it says require a "state-of-the-art" CDN.

Veeple's deal with BitGravity calls for the latter to offer Veeple's video solution to content owners and businesses (note: the deal makes Veeple one of only three standard BitGravity partners, the others being Brightcove and Fliqz), and calls for Veeple to standardize its offering on BitGravity's platform. Veeple bills its video solution as providing a simple way to upload, manage, deploy and measure interactive videos across the Web. "BitGravity's focus on fast, high-quality video delivery is of primary importance in working with them," Veeple CEO, Broomfield, said in a prepared statement. "BitGravity truly understands high-performance video delivery, ensuring a fantastic online video experience for our customers." Added BitGravity's VP of worldwide sales, Chris Turner: "Veeple is an excellent example of the type of service we envisioned supporting when we designed BitGravity's CDN. Veeple's focus on offering a simple customer experience for uploading, managing, hosting, and--best of all--making online video actionable, were the deciding factors in our working with Veeple."

According to Veeple, the new enhancements to its service include:

• The ability to upload company logos, graphics, "favicons" (i.e. small, square icons associated with a particular Web site), and watermarks directly into the player, so that the player serves as a brand extension.
• A syndication feature that is billed as significantly broadening video distribution capabilities through customizable URL links and resultant RSS feeds.
• A feature, dubbed "In Video Contact Us," that is billed as providing the ability to collect in real time contact information from potential customers.
• The ability for marketing, video and Web development companies to participate in a Veeple referral/affiliate program that offers monetary awards.