Frost & Sullivan, a corporate growth consultancy, announced that the 2007 Global Frost & Sullivan Award for Market Leadership goes to Getty Images. Presented every year, the award recognizes Getty's digital asset management services, including Media Manager and Image.net.
According to Frost & Sullivan research, Getty is currently the largest vendor of asset management solutions as software-as-a-service. The research also highlights the short time frame in which Getty achieved market-share leadership in this industry segment.
The Media Manager is an on-demand, browser-based system that is hosted and managed by Getty Images. It allows clients to centralize their digital assets and tools, streamlining creation and distribution of materials in a secure online environment.
Image.net is an online distribution hub that enables companies to deliver digital publicity and marketing materials to the media. It is available in 17 languages and focuses on lifestyle, fashion and entertainment industries. Founded in 1995 by Simon Townsley, Jez Coulson and Aidan Sullivan, Image.net was acquired by Getty in 2004 for $20 million.
In addition to a robust platform and competitive pricing, Frost & Sullivan commends the number of new clients, global reach, customer service and technological innovation of Getty's asset management services. Singled out as particularly innovative were Getty's enhanced video management capabilities, such as low-resolution streaming previews and custom transcoding.
Frost & Sullivan compared market participants and measured performance through interviews, analysis and secondary research. The company discovered that Getty's media management services overtook the competition in 2006, demonstrating what research analyst Mukul Frishna calls a "phenomenally high growth rate over 2005." Corbis is currently exiting this space and seeking a buyer for its asset management operation