CEO Statement 2023: Innovation, Monetisation, and Serving Global Demand for OTT Video

When reflecting on 2023, the first thing I think of is the hard work that the entire Mangomolo team has put in serving our customers and enabling more broadcasters and OTT video providers to innovate. We have seen tremendous growth over the last 12 months and this has been driven by our commitment to service and our ability to add value for a range of customers and partners.  

I am extremely proud of the team and all the milestones we have achieved together. We have seen our business go global with partners, customers and deployments in Africa, Europe and India. Mangomolo has always been successful in the MENA region, but we are seeing a growing number of partners come on board and deliver our platform across a growing number of markets. It feels like we are at the beginning of our global journey and that is very exciting. 

We are helping more partners capture new revenue opportunities, efficiently expand their solution set, and accelerate their growth with OTT video services. Together, we’re helping more broadcasters transform their operations and deliver new digital experiences while enabling OTTs to optimise, monetise and simplify their approach to video content delivery.

Our strategy has always been to replicate that success in different continents and markets, and I believe this year was proof to that. We really believe in the power of partnership and that has been reflected in our growth this year.

Mangomolo Milestones in 2023

·       Refreshing the Brand – Early in 2023, we refreshed our brand and our messaging to align how we communicate with our global ambitions. We wanted to show the energy, enthusiasm and momentum of our business in our communications. Day-to-day the entire team is pitching in and working extremely hard, and we wanted that to be reflected in how we present out Mangomolo in the market.    

·       Building European Sales – We’ve expanded our sales efforts in Europe to engage new partners and build recognition of our capabilities across markets. I don’t really see any limits on where we can operate or deliver for customers, so it is great to have a growing presence outside of our traditional regions. We’re already seeing more partners and customers in new markets come on board and that shows what we’re doing is working.    

·       Accelerating Global Partnerships – Partnership is essential for our business, and we were happy to see more service providers sign up to offer Mangomolo solutions in their local markets. Our platform has been built for localisation and monetisation of content so the more partners we have onboard means more broadcasters and OTTs can efficiently serve growing demand. We’ve seen partnerships ramp up in 2023 and this will only accelerate over the next 12 months.   

·       Nurturing Our Core – Although we have global ambitions, we’re continuing to expand with new wins across the MENA region and enable more customers to deliver OTT video with hybrid monetisation strategies. We have proven case studies in local markets and our commitment to service enables broadcasters to take a risk-free approach to their digital transformation journeys.     

·       Continual Innovation – 2023 saw the launch of our Cloud Payout Module for FAST channels where with one click, any publisher can launch a full linear channel directly from the Mangomolo platform. We’re continually improving and enhancing our offerings directly based on customer recommendations. In addition to smaller module enhancements, one of our main focuses this year was our hybrid monetisation model, allowing partners and customers to generate revenue in different ways for different markets.

AI, Distribution, and Monetisation

I see three things shaping the OTT market. Over the last 12 months, we’ve consistently seen demand for hybrid monetisation from across our customer base. The one-size-fits-all approach to monetisation no longer aligns with growth opportunities. One monetisation model may not be ideal in one market or for a content type. What matters now is that OTT video providers have the freedom to adapt, pivot and change how they monetise content without adding cost or complexity to their operations.   

Our focus has been to empower providers to maximise the value of their video content by tailoring their offerings based on demands and shaping these based on content type. Platform owners need to come close to their audiences with more localised technology, not just content, and our hybrid model is the way forward for this.  

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has emerged as a buzzword across almost every aspect of technology. OTT video is no different, but I see the use cases growing. So far, AI has been primarily deployed for content recommendations and speech-to-text machine translation. I see AI having a growing role in actual workflow components, influencing content creation, and distribution as well.

We will see data and analytics matched with AI to accelerate how content is managed, optimised and presented to viewers. This is all part of our roadmap and will enable providers to move with greater agility and precision. It is a huge opportunity.

At the same time, there is also a trend of large content distributors becoming content creators. There’s a lot of temptation in the market to forget the distribution side of the business and just sell content. I believe there can be a balance between content development and distribution. I fear some organisations will lose control of their audiences and without maintaining distribution channels will have to face a highly competitive content market.   

With tempting deals out there to acquire content, broadcasters need to remember that it’s a user-oriented industry. If you're a content creator today and you lose the distribution essence of your business, you can be replaced very easily. Taking a balanced approach guarantees the sustainability of the business and long-term revenue streams.

Looking to 2024

I hate to say, “More of the same” but what I mean is we are going to remain focused on innovating to help customers to maximise the value of their content and grow their audiences. Our team gets up in the morning to find new ways to help customers reach their goals and deliver innovative digital experiences, both in the front end and back end.

It’s in the Mangomolo DNA to be fast, agile and disruptive. As our platform evolves and scales up, we’re determined to retain the original dynamic of the company while also remaining focused on our customers. This has been a core element of our success and a pivotal reason why customers choose the Mangomolo model. All of what we have done and continue to do is based on a comprehensive, end-to-end platform paired with a flexible commercial approach and dedicated hands-on support.

We’re focused on continuing our expansion into new markets in 2024 and living up to our customer's expectations of us as a turnkey provider. While new market ventures open huge opportunities for success, it’s top of mind that our customers still have complete trust in their platform, with a provider they can rely on.

Trust that the team is working tirelessly behind the scenes on big projects and new partnerships. We have a solid pipeline of new developments that we’re bringing to the market and opportunities to work with major players in the space that promise to be disruptive.

Mangomolo is becoming a global force focused on maintaining momentum as we enter the new year. Our platform is continuously advancing, and the team is working beyond borders to remove the barriers to digital transformation for providers worldwide.

Big things are coming in 2024.