Today we’re unveiling a new brand and visual identity for 24i. I’d like to talk a little bit about why we felt it was time to make this change and what it means for the company, our customers, and our shared future.
24i has a strong and successful history, and we remain proud of the legacy the company has built. Our guiding mission has always been to enable a seamless user experience that connects people with content they care about with unparalleled ease and quality. In our early days, the best way to realize that mission was to concentrate on building elegant, user-friendly applications that worked on a variety of devices and platforms. We were focused on the front-end, creating innovative applications on top of any back-end or technology stack our customers brought to the table. The applications we developed enabled our customers to differentiate themselves in the marketplace by offering unique, easy-to-use consumer experiences that provided a perfect gateway to the (then relatively new) world of streaming video.
As the streaming industry evolved, it became increasingly clear that building world-class front-end applications on top of technology back-ends that were, to put it diplomatically, far less than world-class, was a bit of a fool’s errand. Consumers wanted more than just well-designed apps that were compatible with multiple devices–they wanted services that understood and even anticipated their likes and dislikes, that enabled them to discover and enjoy content they might otherwise never have known about, that helped them easily and quickly customize and personalize their viewing experience.
We soon realized that meeting these expectations required more than just front-end development prowess. It necessitated access to well-structured data sets, a detailed understanding of viewer habits and preferences, and intelligent back-end technology platforms that were able to ingest and quickly process large chunks of information. The application itself was no longer the “thing” but rather, to borrow a phrase, the thing that gets us to the thing.
The existential realization we came to was that data was the engine that would power the future of streaming, and fully accessing and unlocking the power of data required a fundamental shift to our strategy and business. So we began the transition from focusing on front-end experiences to building a collection of back-end modules that can be used to create end-to-end, data-driven streaming platforms that power and shape customized viewing experiences connecting people to the content they care about. Thanks to the hard work and innovation of our first-class team, we have transformed our product and technology offerings to realize that vision, and I believe we are able to offer far more value to our customers and, ultimately, the viewers they serve, than ever before.
In other words, our strategy and business was evolving, and it was time for our brand and identity to evolve as well. We started by taking a fresh look at the core values and mission of the company, and from there we focused on building out messaging and a visual identity that embodied and expressed our vision with clarity, authenticity, and hopefully a bit of style and panache. The first iteration of that work is the website you are currently visiting which, you may notice, differs radically from the site you would have encountered just a few days ago, and I believe more accurately reflects the state of our company as it exists today as well as our vision of the future.
So what is that vision? Fundamentally, we believe that video content, in all its diverse forms, can serve as a powerful unifying force that bridges divides and fosters connection, understanding, and joy. In an increasingly fragmented world, video content can open up new perspectives and bring us closer together. We aim to ensure that every viewer, regardless of platform or location, experiences the content they cherish with unparalleled ease and quality, creating meaningful connections and building a more cohesive digital world.
To achieve those goals, we need to operate in a very intentional and specific way. We need to think big, take risks, and always be prepared to learn, grow and adapt. We need to be bold, approaching the future with a spirit of exploration and wonder. At the risk of being cheesy, we need to mirror the ethos of the USS Enterprise and, in the words of the great Gene Rodenberry, boldly go where no one has gone before. That mantra is reflected in our B.O.L.D. set of core values–BRAVE, OPEN-MINDED, LOYAL, and DRIVEN–which power our strategy and brand.
The new message and visual identity we’re unveiling today are part of an evolution, one which will continue to come into shape as we learn, grow, and change along with the streaming industry we love.The conventional wisdom echoing around various industry echo chambers may characterize these changes as merely putting lipstick on a pig. They wouldn’t be entirely wrong, as we certainly do look a lot better, but beneath the new surface lies a strong and exciting foundation that we believe will light the way toward a better media future for everyone.
Going forward, we are dedicated to the concept of continuous improvement, to listening to the feedback of our customers and partners and adapting to their changing needs. Toward that end, we welcome any insights, comments, criticisms, high-fives, questions, or ideas anyone may have. My mind and inbox are always open to any customer, potential customer, interested onlooker, or industry pundit who wants to engage in conversation. Hit me up!
In closing, I want to offer a special thank you to the small but mighty team that conceptualized and executed our brand transformation, led by our amazing marketing leader Verónica López and the creative team at Admiral Digital. They’ve done an incredible job realizing and expressing our vision, and there’s much more great work to come.
The dynamic and constantly evolving world of streaming is full of unlimited possibilities, and we can’t wait to boldly step forward into the future together. Let’s get to work!
