Produced by:
Pioneering Digital Transformation
in Media and Entertainment
We had the pleasure of speaking with Giorgio Tacchia, Managing Director at Globant, about his extensive career in the media and entertainment industry and how Globant is driving digital transformation for its clients in this dynamic sector. With a wealth of experience spanning operations, finance, marketing, and business development, Giorgio brings unique insights into the evolving landscape of streaming and the critical role technology plays in shaping the future of media consumption.
Could you introduce yourself, detail your career journey, and explain what brought you to your current position at Globant, focusing on the media and entertainment industry?
Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here and highlight the work we do at Globant. My career in the media and telecommunications sectors has been quite varied. I started at Fastweb, an Italian telecommunications and broadband service provider, in the early 2000s, a formative period for IP technology globally. Then, in late 2012, I founded a technology media company, which was pioneering as a comprehensive entertainment marketplace. We prioritised technology and user experience, offering audiences a more immersive experience in accessing content and purchasing related products across various devices and countries.
During my 11-year tenure as CEO, the company expanded globally, reaching 60 million customers, achieving a turnover of 50 million, and attracting investments from major Hollywood studios. In 2023, a branch of business of the company I founded was acquired by Globant, marking the start of my current chapter, where I'm contributing to business growth and overseeing significant media projects.
As a newcomer to Globant, could you share insights into the company's approach to digital transformation in media and entertainment, particularly in streaming?
Globant's contribution to digital transformation goes beyond providing technology platforms or acting as a system integrator. The value lies in helping create business cases with our clients. Often, partners may not fully understand the complexity involved in operating an OTT platform, which typically requires activating around 80 microservices. Having navigated this process multiple times personally, I believe this comprehensive understanding and capability differentiate our offering at Globant.
We assist clients in developing their business case and KPIs, and evaluating potential outcomes in terms of client revenue, costs, and overall impact. Starting from this strategic business case, we then support the implementation of their strategy through both technology and standard system integration.
To clarify, Globant can enter a media organisation looking to launch a streaming service in a specific region, begin with the strategy, and carry it through to the implementation plan, assembling the necessary platforms and ensuring integration across various components. This provides a comprehensive solution enabling them to monetise their content effectively. Is that correct?
Precisely. To offer an analogy, consider my personal interest in horses. When I purchased my first horse, I was only informed about the initial cost but wasn't briefed about the ongoing expenses. Shortly after taking ownership, I realised the total cost of maintaining the horse was significantly higher than anticipated, and I lacked the experience to manage these expenses efficiently.
Similarly, our clients often have a vision for digital transformation and a business plan, but they might lack the comprehensive understanding needed to connect all the dots and formulate a clear strategy and business case, especially regarding costs. Having navigated the direct-to-consumer landscape and spearheaded numerous digital transformations from the ground up, we bring a unique perspective. We're not just about delivering parts of the solution; we aim to understand the full scope and flavor of the project. This allows us to offer strategic advice, develop a solid business case, and provide all necessary services to operate an OTT platform efficiently, distinguishing our approach.
Can you share any stories or experiences that highlight the real-world business impact of your collaborations with notable clients like FIFA, NBC Universal, National Geographic and others?
While I can't go into extensive detail, at Globant, we're often called upon to assist our partners at different stages of their digital transformation journey. Focusing on FIFA as an example, Globant's partnership extends beyond just the FIFA Plus platform; we support FIFA across all its IT requirements. FIFA Plus stands out as a prime project for us, representing a fresh start and a significant journey from inception. We've had the privilege of working closely with FIFA, from defining strategies to supporting them in this crucial and strategic project. It showcases our ability to leverage a comprehensive set of skills and expertise to deliver exceptional outcomes.
Globant employs a unique delivery model that utilises studios and agile pods, significantly enhancing your value proposition for streaming services. Could you explain this methodology and how it functions?
Globant stands out for several reasons, starting with the exceptional quality of our engineers. Through strategic acquisitions, Globant has assembled a team of highly experienced engineers who specialise in the OTT industry. These engineers are not only adept at coding but also possess a deep understanding of business dynamics, enabling them to develop solutions with a clear understanding of their impact and purpose.
Beyond individual talent, Globant leverages a studio model to augment our service delivery. Operating an OTT platform requires integrating around 80 microservices. Whenever there's a need to enhance my knowledge or involve a specialist with deeper expertise in a particular area of the project, I can engage one of Globant's many studios.
Globant is home to numerous managers and former entrepreneurs who bring profound vertical expertise to the table. This synergistic blend of top-tier engineering talent, the strategic application of our studio model, and the breadth of development operations contributes to our distinctive capability in the media space. By harnessing this diverse expertise, we're able to offer our clients comprehensive support, ensuring they remain at the forefront of the market with solutions that add substantial value to their projects.
Shifting our focus from technology integrations, we now find ourselves in an era overflowing with content. With countless platforms vying for attention, how does Globant help its streaming clients distinguish themselves and keep users engaged and loyal?
Today, I'd argue that content shares its throne with another ruler - data. Both content and data hold equal importance in the business model of OTT platforms, which are characterised by their global reach and diverse, fluid audience. The industry is witnessing a shift towards models that include ad-supported offerings alongside traditional pay-per-view services.
In this vast marketplace, constructing a customer data platform and devising an effective customer funnel are just as critical as the uniqueness and quality of content. When discussing engagement and loyalty, it's crucial to start from the ground up, from a blank slate. At Globant, we emphasise the strategic use of data to obtain first-party data and establish a robust and reliable customer data platform. This platform becomes an invaluable asset for companies as they develop their offerings, allowing for the personalisation of user interfaces and offerings, enhancing customer retention, increasing engagement and loyalty, and ultimately boosting average revenue per user (ARPU).
Could you elaborate on Globant's role in incorporating AI and possibly other emerging technologies to enhance content delivery, redefine business outcomes, and enrich user experiences?
If AI is the vehicle, then data is its fuel. Building a comprehensive data lake and possessing data ownership allows AI to play a transformative role. For content delivery and enhancing viewer experiences, having a robust data lake and utilising AI tools can significantly improve personalised recommendations. Through AI algorithms, we're able to analyse customer behaviors and preferences in real-time, tailoring recommendations accurately.
AI can be a game-changer in content creation or curation, especially in the sports industry. It enables the production of thousands of ancillary pieces of content from live events, effectively multiplying and personalising content based on the original material. Furthermore, AI enhances search engines and navigation, closely tied to the personalisation of recommendations. AI also optimises dynamic content delivery by adjusting bit rates and encoding methods to minimise buffering and enhance the viewing experience.
Beyond AI, are there any other technologies Globant is utilising to enhance business operations and user experiences?
The advent of 5G technology stands out as a game-changer for content quality. With the deployment of 5G networks, we anticipate significant enhancements in streaming revolution, including faster download speeds and reduced latency. This advancement promises to elevate content quality from standard definition to ultra-high definition, paving the way for augmented reality and virtual reality experiences.
Moreover, the significance of blockchain technology and Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) is becoming increasingly apparent. NFTs offer a novel approach to content and platform application, synergising with advancements like 5G to unlock new potentials that are just beginning to be explored.
Given your extensive experience and journey, what advice would you offer to professionals or companies looking to innovate in the streaming space, particularly within the media and entertainment sector?
Several points come to mind. Firstly, it's crucial to stay abreast of technology trends by continuously monitoring emerging technologies like 5G, AI, VR, blockchain, and others. Understanding how these technologies can be utilised and transformed into business models is essential.
The priority should always be the customer, focusing on providing an exceptional user experience and ensuring content quality and diversity. Adopting a data-driven approach to decision-making is another key piece of advice. Developing a platform and culture that are driven by data helps in making informed decisions.
Cultivating a culture of innovation is important, where listening to your audience is crucial, not just qualitatively but quantitatively as well. Lastly, building a robust infrastructure is fundamental. Having a global perspective and catering to a massive client base with industry-standard KPIs will help in creating a sustainable, resilient, and profitable business.
Globant is a digitally native company that helps organizations reinvent themselves and unleash their potential. They bring innovation, design and engineering together at scale to create impactful solutions. Globant specializes in digital strategy, design, and development, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and trends. With their agile pods methodology and commitment to innovation, Globant is a trusted partner for top brands looking to lead their industries in the digital landscape. They create digital transformations using disruptive technologies like AI, blockchain, and cloud computing. Major clients include Google, EA, and Disney. Globant bridges the gap between design and engineering to develop innovative software products. Overall, Globant helps global organizations reinvent themselves digitally.
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