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After its separation from Technicolor Creative Studios, the new Vantiva plans to grow its hardware and logistics business, and make a bigger play in pharmaceuticals, Vantiva CEO Luis Martinez-Amago tells Tim. 

Why it matters: Vantiva and Technicolor Creative Studios are now two very different companies, which will give investors a better idea of what they're buying into. 

Driving the news: Both Vantiva and Technicolor Creative Studios began trading as separate companies on Paris' Euronext yesterday. 

The spinoff left Vantiva with two main business lines: Supply Chain Services and Connected Home.

"We gave them the name Technicolor because it belongs to Hollywood, it belongs to this industry," Martinez-Amago said. "We're taking this opportunity in Vantiva, which is a technical company, to have a fresh continuation."

What's next: Vantiva's goals are to expand its core business — providing hardware and software services for broadband providers and Android TVs — and diversify its supply chain offerings.

When it was part of Technicolor, it was one of the biggest DVD and CD makers. But it isn't done making physical media. Vinyl demand is surging.

"They need consistency, predictability and quality. And this is why they are coming to us: because we're used to working with them on the DVDs or CDs space," the CEO says. 

Between the lines: Technicolor has spent the past few years breaking apart its company following its bankruptcy restructuring in 2020. 

Last year, it sold off its postproduction businesses to Streamland Media for $36.5 million. Earlier this year, it sold off its trademark licensing operations for €100 million in cash. 

1 big thing: Vantiva's post-Technicolor spinoff plans

Photo illustration of Luis Martinez-Amago. 

Photo illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios. Photo: Alcatel Lucent

Ad tech company Infillion has acquired Analytiks, an in-store visitation technology company for an undisclosed amount, the company exclusively tells Kerry and Tim. 

Why it's the BFD: Analytiks increases Infillion's location technology footprint and is its first acquisition since the company rebranded earlier this year. 

Details: The Analytiks team will remain based in Montreal and will expand Infillion's presence in Canada. 

Using technology built atop Cisco Meraki optical sensoring infrastructure, Analytiks delivers "privacy-secure measurement solutions that allow brands and advertisers to understand digital and physical customer behavior," per Infillion. 

The company offers multi-entrance and exit guest detection, occupancy monitoring, and rules-based alerting for store operations and marketing managers.

Analytiks is used by large retailers including Peloton, Bell and Decathlon, though Infillion says the technology can be used in airports, entertainment venues, educational institutions, hospitality, office buildings and medical facilities.

"Being part of a premier and well-established tech organization like Infillion allows us to leverage the company's industry expertise, existing relationships, and resources to further accelerate our product development and to continue our expansion in the U.S., Europe, and abroad," said JP Bray, CEO of Analytiks.

Catch up quick: Gimbal | true[X] relaunched as Infillion in March.  

In September 2020, Disney sold true[X], which specializes in connected TV ads, to Gimbal. It had been previously owned by 21st Century Fox. 

2. The BFD: Infillion buys Analytiks

Data: Insider Intelligence; Note: Includes individuals who watch Netflix by app, connected TV device or website at least once a month; Chart: Simran Parwani/Axios

Netflix's subscriber losses will lead to a dip in U.S. viewers for the streaming giant for the first time, according to Insider Intelligence's latest forecast. 

Why it matters: Netflix's stalled growth — particularly in the U.S. and Canada — is just one reason why the company is introducing a cheaper, ad-supported version in the coming months.

By the numbers: The addition of the ad tier should restart Netflix's growth in 2023, Insider forecasts, but not by much.

Netflix's viewership is only expected to rise 1.7% over the next two years, before slowing down to 1.6% growth in 2025 and 2026. 

Though Netflix will still command a 65.6% share of all digital viewers in 2022, that figure is expected to remain largely static amid increasing competition.

Through the first half of 2022, Netflix has lost more than 1.9 million subscribers in the U.S. and Canada, the most of any region. 

The bottom line: "Netflix is losing viewers to lower-priced competitors that are pouring massive resources into content development," said Oscar Bruce Jr., senior forecasting analyst at Insider Intelligence.

3. Charted: Netflix attracts fewer eyeballs

AmazeVR, a Los Angeles-based virtual concert platform, raised $17m in a Series B round led by Mirae Asset Capital. https://axios.link/3SzuJ6l

Sendinblue, a Paris-based digital marketing platform that's raised $175m in VC funding, acquired Yodel.io, an SF-based business phone solution. www.sendinblue.com

Foxtel, an Australia-based pay-TV service owned by News Corp., has signed an exclusive rights deal with the WWE to be the company's TV home in the country. https://axios.link/3UICqZa

LIV Golf is nearing a deal with Fox Sports to buy airtime that would put some of the upstart golf league's tournaments on Fox Sports 1, Golfweek reports. https://axios.link/3LRJsGZ

LeBron James' LRMR Ventures is leading a new ownership group in Major League Pickleball that includes fellow NBA stars Draymond Green and Kevin Love and investment firm SC Holdings. https://axios.link/3UOuQwj

4. Deal flow

CNN named Marcus Mabry SVP of digital editorial and programming. https://axios.link/3CgfJnO

5. Movin' on up (or out)

Podcasters are buying millions of listeners through mobile-game ads (Bloomberg)

"The practice allows networks to amass downloads quickly by tapping into a wellspring of hyperactive video-game users. But it also calls into question who a legitimate podcast listener is and what length of time should be required to count as a download," Ashley Carman writes. 

Former MoviePass CEOs sued by SEC for allegedly misleading investors over $10/month profit plan (Indiewire)

"[T]he SEC filing claimed [former MoviePass CEO Mitch] Lowe and [former Helios and Matheson Analytics CEO Ted] Farnsworth 'devised fraudulent tactics' to hide information and 'falsely and misleadingly' led the public to believe their site was unsuccessful in subscribers to save money," Samantha Bergeson writes.

Warner Bros. Discovery international president Gerhard Zeiler sets out post-merger strategy, commits to local content (Variety)

"We don't believe it makes sense to put all the content we have into one window. We don't believe it's what the consumer wants and no one truly believes that this is a good business case. We are not a one trick pony. We believe in the breadth of our distribution strategy," Zeiler said at the Royal Television Society's annual convention yesterday.

6. Channel surfing

Illustration of a pair of sunglasses with lenses that look like tv screens.

Situational awareness: Lionsgate said in a filing that it's now focused on spinning off its studio business rather than Starz.

🌎 You're invited: Join Axios' Dan Primack and Kia Kokalitcheva, plus Christina Mohr (Citigroup M&A vice chair) and Kirsten Green (Forerunner Ventures founder), today at 12:30pm EDT for a virtual event looking at the M&A pipeline. Register here.

@tim_bays: "Abbot Elementary" on ABC. This show fills the "Parks and Recreation"-sized hole in my heart. 

✏️ Thanks to Michael Flaherty for editing and Katie Lewis for copy editing this newsletter.

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September 28, 2022

1 big thing: Vantiva's post-Technicolor spinoff plans