There’s more momentum behind video ads getting shorter. Video ad tech provider Genesis Media, has introduced a new 6-second ad unit, which advertisers only pay for when fully viewed, as verified by Moat. The Cost Per Viewable Six or “CPv6” unit is meant to provide a better viewer experience, especially in mobile, while giving advertisers a more effective format than the standard 15 and 30-second ad.

Joe Grover, Genesis Media’s president and chief marketing officer, told me in a briefing that the company has been testing the CPv6 format for months and that “publishers love it.” Joe explained that publishers are very sensitive to abandonment by viewers due to lengthy ads which in turn causes the viewer’s lifetime value to decrease. With viewers increasingly impatient to get to the content, Joe said there’s been a “groundswell” of interest in shorter ads over the past 6-9 months.

A key issue with shorter ads is how they should be priced relative to traditional 15 and 30-second spots. Genesis Media is planning to price the CPv6 units comparable to traditional units, with the rationale being that no other units have been priced like this before on full viewability. Because the CPv6 ads drive better efficiency compared to traditional units, the aim is to incentivize advertisers to make the switch.

Genesis Media’s core technology analyzes users’ engagement with content on specific publisher pages which creates attention indexes (the system is called “Page Intelligence”). The data helps to determine which ad formats are chosen and how they’re placed to optimize yield. Joe said the system will now also be extended to determine the ideal duration an ad should be, with the CPv6 unit being deployed when appropriate.  

Six-second ads are still a relatively new approach, but they’ve gained momentum recently. A year ago, YouTube began rolling out its 6-second “bumper ads” and over the summer Facebook disclosed that it was also testing 6-second ads with select advertisers. Fox has notably launched 6-second ads in a variety of shows including its NFL broadcasts.

There’s no question that all publishers are trying to figure out how to improve the viewer experience with ad-supported video, while also optimizing the value of their inventory. Genesis Media will have some evangelizing ahead, but CPv6’s guaranteed viewability and the market momentum seems to make the timing right for shorter ads.

In addition to the CPv6 news, Genesis Media has also released new branding and an updated web site. These follow its merger with Altitude Digital this past August.