UK’s SmartFrame Technologies, a tech innovator in the digital imaging sector, has revealed its newest collaboration with the German photography powerhouse, action press international.This groundbreaking partnership enables online publishers globally to incorporate the entire action press international image collection – comprising over 200 million images – into their platforms without any charge.
The integration represents a substantial progression for SmartFrame’s ambition: reshaping the digital image distribution and business model. This overhaul of the distribution model aspires to produce a more equitable, transparent, and flourishing digital image ecosystem.
Notably, after the successful initiation of the New Zealand Rugby association this summer where action press international undertook all official New Zealand Rugby imagery, the company has entirely embraced the SmartFrame approach for its vast content repositories.
Rob Sewell, CEO at SmartFrame Technologies, remarked: “The inclusion of action press international into the SmartFrame ecosystem is a monumental step forward in our mission to transform the digital image landscape. By combining action press international’s incredible library of images with SmartFrame’s technology, we are bettering our position to deliver unprecedented value to photographers, publishers, advertisers, and audiences alike.”
SmartFrame’s strategy to revitalise the digital image arena and reinvigorate photographers centres on serving premium ads within top-tier images. This approach mirrors the YouTube model, monetising the audience viewing the content and remunerating creators via advertising within these images, rather than merely licensing the asset. This strategic shift capitalises on the burgeoning contextual advertising sector, which is projected to surge from $178bn in 2021 to an impressive $562.1bn by the end of the decade.
SmartFrame’s system allows publishers to embed images into their content free of charge, while adhering to copyright protocols. These images are rendered in optimal resolution, ensuring fast page loads and a more interactive end-user experience, augmented by features such as full-screen viewing and SmartFrame’s unique Hyper Zoom technology.
Moreover, publishers can access new data and insights via SmartFrame’s analytics suite and can also tap into fresh revenue avenues through sporadic contextually apt advertising within these images. The ads are meticulously tailored to the image metadata, page context, viewer’s location, and device, ensuring content relevance and thus enhancing brand engagement.
This collaboration has boosted the number of SmartFrame’s free-to-embed images to an impressive 620 million.
Ulli Michel, CEO at action press international, shared: “With the success of our New Zealand Rugby partnership, joining forces with SmartFrame was a natural evolution for us. Our commitment to capturing timeless moments with photography aligns with SmartFrame’s vision for a fairer digital future for all those involved with photography. We are excited to see our rich archive of content gain renewed commercial value through the SmartFrame platform, opening new avenues for engagement and revenue generation for all stakeholders involved in online media.”
The B2B Marketer, the online destination for B2B marketing professionals seeking valuable insights, trends, and resources to drive their marketing strategies and achieve business success.
