Beyond the Home Screen: TiVo’s Strategy for Seamless Discovery and Smarter Monetisation
TiVo’s evolution from DVR pioneer to a neutral platform for content discovery, targeted advertising, and connected car entertainment
At Cannes Lions, Experi Inc’s Chief Product Officer Geir Skaaden outlines how TiVo is evolving from a DVR pioneer to an independent platform for content discovery, advertising integration, and in-car entertainment.
An Independent Discovery Layer
At the heart of TiVo’s evolution is its operating system an independent, unbiased platform designed to surface content across providers without favouring any specific service. Unlike competitors who prioritise their own catalogues, TiVo’s universal search presents consumers with multiple viewing options, whether subscription-based, ad-supported or free.
“We’re not content producers,” Skaaden emphasised. “That allows us to be truly neutral in how we present content.” The company’s focus is on simplifying navigation and reducing search friction measured by metrics such as home screen visits and the frequency of group sessions.
This neutrality has become a key differentiator for TiVo in an increasingly crowded media landscape. Its main clients TV operators in the US and Europe, and television manufacturers (OEMs) such as Panasonic, Vestel and Argos value TiVo’s independent operating system. At the heart of this system is an unbiased search and discovery platform that surfaces content from across providers, without favouring any specific service. Unlike competitors who promote their own catalogues, TiVo presents users with multiple options for viewing whether subscription-based, ad-supported, or free.
“We’re not content producers, that allows us to be truly neutral in how we present content.” The company’s focus is on simplifying navigation and reducing search friction measured by metrics such as home screen visits and the frequency of group sessions.
The OS presents users with different ways to watch a given title, pulling from SVOD, AVOD, FAST channels, and legacy TV. This approach enhances transparency and trust while empowering users to navigate fragmented ecosystems. The interface prioritises utility over ownership surfacing content rather than platforms.
This neutrality has become an increasingly important differentiator in a crowded media environment, particularly for TiVo’s clients: operators in the US and Europe, and TV OEMs such as Panasonic, Sharp, Argos and Vestel.
TiVo Chief Product Officer Geir Skaaden
A Shift in Monetisation Strategy
While TiVo’s traditional revenue model remains licensing-based, the company is actively pursuing new monetisation avenues. “We are building an independent legal platform to drive new growth through monetisation, such as data advertising,” said Skaaden.
The strategy hinges on increasing user engagement and, by extension, advertising value especially in contexts where targeted advertising has traditionally been under-leveraged, such as radio. “Radio still reaches more audiences than any other medium,” Skaaden noted. “But it’s had limited options for targeting. AI changes that by enabling segmentation at scale making ad delivery more relevant and increasing value for advertisers, broadcasters, and automotive partners alike.”
Artificial Intelligence: Enhancing Discovery and Advertising
TiVo’s integration of artificial intelligence is not an afterthought it is foundational to the platform’s dual objectives of enhancing user experience and enabling monetisation.
AI powers TiVo’s personalised recommendation engine, helping users navigate a complex array of content options with minimal friction. “The time spent searching should be less,” said Skaaden.“Our goal is to get users to the content they love, faster.”
Beyond consumer-facing benefits, AI opens up new opportunities in targeted advertising. This is especially evident in connected environments like cars, where contextual data (location, time, driving conditions) can inform ad delivery provided it is implemented with care. “AI enables segmentation at scale,” Skaaden explained. “It makes advertising more relevant and increases its value. That benefits the entire ecosystem.”
Radio, in particular, stands to gain. With AI, traditional radio streams and podcasts can be tailored to individual listener preferences enhancing both utility and advertising performance. The company sees this as a logical evolution for connected vehicles and smart infotainment systems.
Automotive: Reimagining the In-Car Entertainment Experience
TiVo is also extending its platform ambitions into the automotive sector. The company has partnered with BMW to embed its media services into in-car environments, offering short-form content and enhanced audio experiences on high-resolution screens.
“BMW sees media as a core component of their in-car connectivity package,” said Skaaden. “They are very customer-centric and focused on quality.”
The company believes that immersive in-car entertainment will become increasingly viable as autonomous driving evolves. While video consumption on the move remains in its early stages, the growth of screen real estate and downtime in autonomous settings is likely to create new media moments.
Importantly, TiVo acknowledges that driver safety takes precedence. Any advertising or content integration must respect regulatory and user limitations. “Unless you're at Level 3 autonomy, where the car takes full responsibility, we expect these features to remain constrained,” Skaaden said. “But when you're stopped, charging, or a passenger, there’s enormous potential for meaningful interaction.”
Cannes Lions: Listening, Learning, Aligning
For Skaaden, Cannes Lions serves not only as a platform to showcase TiVo’s capabilities, but as a vital forum for listening.
The company is intent on exporting its US-built platform to international markets, particularly the UK and Western Europe. “There’s a large audience of people watching TV who will benefit from having more choice, better discovery, and greater value through relevant advertising,” Skaaden added.
“Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity is where the intersection of technology, creativity, and advertising is most visible.” “It’s a chance to align our roadmap with what advertisers need so the user has a better experience, and the advertiser has a more effective one.” said Skaaden
Outlook: A Platform Built on Trust
TiVo’s long history in personalising the television experience has given it an advantage as consumer behaviour shifts once again. By remaining agnostic, focusing on search rather than ownership, and investing in AI and automotive partnerships, the company is attempting to reassert itself as the essential layer between viewer and content.
As attention fragments and the user journey moves across devices and environments, TiVo’s value proposition may lie in what it does not own: the content. Instead, it offers something equally important clarity, coherence, and choice.
