Vocanic founder Ian McKee starts content distribution firm built on blockchain

Former Vocanic founder Ian McKee (pictured) has launched Vuulr, an online marketplace which allows for the global trading of content rights of broadcast content. Following the move, McKee will be founder and CEO of the company, together with Ben Heyho Flint as co-founder and COO.The company currently employees four full time staff, along with advisors with specific skillsets relevant to various parts of the business. Marketing will be helmed by Yolopay marketing director Liam McCance and Belinda Ang, executive director at thinkBIG Communications. McCance was also formerly country manager and partner of Vocanic Thailand and Malaysia, exiting the role after over three years in the company.Vuulr’s system will be built on blockchain and currently has endorsements from Mediacorp, PT Media Nusantara Citra Tbk (MNC), Endemol Shine Group, amongst others.On the decision to use blockchain, McKee explained in a conversation with Marketing that blockchain is a “perfect platform” for building a solution on. The blockchain has a number of benefits that solve many of the transactional problems in the industry. As such, the company will be utilising the Ethereum blockchain to build its distributed supply chain for clients. Vuulr aims to reduce the time it takes broadcasters go from "discovery to delivery” to under 24 hours, which currently takes around three to six months to conclude.Vuulr will be working with EIDR, MovieLabs and EMA, trade associations funded by Hollywood which are currently pushing standards for the TV and film industry, Vuulr’s platform will built support these standards and make adoption easier. This will target content distributors, production houses as well as filmmakers."Another innovation is that we are bringing Brands into the equation as equals. As brands increasingly look to content marketing, they need to to at the table as equals. Vuulr allows the content creators, brands and broadcasters to interact on a single platform,” McKee added.Prior to the move, McKee was CEO of social media firm Vocanic, a role he stepped down from in March last year. This came two years after GroupM completed Vocanic’s majority acquisition.