Virtual Minds is introducing the Media Manager in France and appoints Michel Juvillier Brand Representative

Freiburg, November 13, 2023. Virtual Minds, the leading European provider of technology solutions for digital advertising, is expanding to France. The company, previously active mainly in the DACH region (Germany, Austria and Switzerland), is now also rolling out its latest product innovation, the Media Manager, on the French market. Virtual Minds has enlisted the services of Juvillier Conseil and its CEO Michel Juvillier to market the premium solution, which is enabling the booking and playing out of classic linear advertising media – particularly TV – according to digital planning and decision-making logics. As Brand Representative for the Media Manager, the prestigious sector expert is to be responsible especially for marketing the technology platform with the leading French TV stations and promoting the business development and expansion of Virtual Minds in France.

Advertising sales in linear TV (estimated 3.6 billion euros in 2024*) are on the decline in France, as in most other European media markets. At the same time, ad spendings in the digital video channels are increasing significantly (forecast +36 percent up to 2027**). The broadcasters are now to benefit from the great potentials and efficiency advantages of digital marketing also in their classic core business – while retaining their existing media and business models.

Virtual Minds Media Manager: opening linear TV advertising for digital planning and decision-making logics

The Media Manager is currently designed for digital advertising marketing of typical broadcast media (“one-to-many”) such as TV.

The platform, which can be seamlessly integrated into existing media technology system landscapes, makes possible the provision as well as real-time playout of classic, linear inventories using automated optimisation logics such as an event-based real-time exclusion of advertising campaigns.

In addition to providing the inventory of the entire broadcaster programme (allocation of commercials at commercial break level), the solution also assumes responsibility for revenue-oriented optimisation of the commercial break composition. The system processes and supplies relevant target group and marketing indicators such as total number of viewers or listeners and their target group segmentation for planning and provides the most important tracking data for campaign management in real time via the dashboard, with the publishers invariably retaining full control over all processes.

Looking forward, the Media Manager as “holistic TV advertising engine” will make possible convergent planning, delivery, measurement and invoicing of all video inventories – one-to-one (addressable TV, connected TV, online video) and one-to-many (classic, linear TV) – on the basis of standard target groups and KPI from one platform.

Appointment of Michel Juvillier (CEO of Juvillier Conseil) as Brand Representative for Virtual Minds Media Manager in France

With Michel Juvillier, Virtual Minds is securing the services of a renowned expert in the sector on the French market to develop and expand its technology business in France. Michel Juvillier is a marketing and business development specialist with over 30 years’ experience in the media and advertising sector as well as technology area. His track record includes top positions at media and technology companies such as the French daily newspaper Libération, MSN (Microsoft) and Advertising.com (Time Warner – today Warner Bros. Discovery).

In 2008, Juvillier founded his own consulting company, which specialises in data driven marketing and advertising technologies. With this firm, he supports international adtech companies with their activities in the French market. Juvillier is a lecturer at various French business schools and is also host of the video and podcast series “The Programmatic Society”, in which marketing experts discuss challenges and innovations in the digital advertising market in France and in international contexts.

As Brand Representative for the Media Manager, Michel Juvillier is responsible mainly for implementing the go-to-market activities of Virtual Minds in France and all marketing measures involved.

“We’re delighted that we could win Michel Juvillier, one of the leading lights of the French digital sector, for implementing our ambitious plans in France. With his excellent marketing expertise and first-class market contacts, he will make a significant contribution to positioning the technology we offer in the French market in the long term,” notes Managing Director Virtual Minds Dirk von Borstel. “With an upcoming sales potential for the digital transformation exceeding three billion euros of classic TV spendings in an innovative media and technology environment, France is an extremely interesting target market for our internationalisation efforts. As in other European countries, the TV stations in France are under pressure to digitalise their core business in order to be able to remain competitive. Our Media Manager provides them with the technological solution for effectively marketing their classic video inventories according to digital logics and processes while retaining their existing media and business models. They can thereby strengthen their position in competition with global digital players.”

And Michel Juvillier, Brand Representative for the Virtual Minds Media Manager, explains: “As with Programmatic nearly 15 years ago, I’m delighted to be able to contribute again to achieving a paradigm change in advertising, this time in classic, linear TV advertising. At a time when classic TV is being challenged by digital actors,

it’s an exciting task to bring the know-how and innovative technology of Virtual Minds on to the French market. Our aim is to open classic, linear TV advertising for the optimisation and efficiency potentials of digital planning and decision-making logics and integrate moving image advertising with a view to maximising its monetisation performance for TV stations and its marketing performance for advertisers on a holistic basis.”

* Source: Magna Global Ad Forecast December 2022

** Source: Magna Global Ad Forecast December 2022 / IAB Europe adex Benchmark July 2023