Posts for 'Advertising'

  • YuMe Rolls Out "ACE for Advertisers" For Improved Video Ad Management

    Video ad network YuMe is rolling out a new product this morning called "ACE for Advertisers" that is being positioned as an end-to-end buy side video ad management system. According to YuMe, ACE for Advertisers offers enhanced control of media planning and buying, ad trafficking and creative management, ad serving and optimization and post-campaign analytics. It can be used across online, mobile and IPTV.

    ACE for Advertisers is further evidence of how the online video advertising industry is maturing, with new tools to help major brands and agencies operate at higher scale and move bigger budgets into the medium. For example, YuMe said that ACE for Advertisers allows users to buy directly from publishers by configuring their own private networks, and/or they can tap into YuMe's network of 600 publishers and/or they can use other ad networks or exchanges. In effect, if there's inventory out there to capture, YuMe wants brands and agencies to be able to reach and manage it through ACE. Targeting data from 3rd parties can also be incorporated across these networks.

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  • Online Video Advertising is Best Performer in FH '10, Up 31% to $627 Million

    Online video advertising is the fastest-growing ad category on the Internet, up 31% to $627 million in first half 2010 from $477 million in first half 2009 according to new research released by PwC US and the IAB.

    However, video advertising still only amounts to 5% of total Internet ad spending, with search, at 47% (over $5.7 billion in FH '10) still dominating the landscape. However, video advertising is benefiting significant tailwind and is poised for lots of growth ahead. In its favor are shifting consumer behaviors toward online viewing, an exploding array of premium-quality/brand-friendly content, broad adoption of connected device which enable long-form online-delivered video viewing on TVs, and improved ad infrastructure (e.g. targeting, management, engagement, etc.).

    When I talk to executives at video ad networks, brands, agencies and content providers they all confirm lots of activity in moving over TV and online budgets to video. I expect plenty more of this as online video viewership gains further momentum. The full ad spending breakdown for FH '10 is below.


     
  • Auditude and Inlet Partner for Ads In Live Flash Streams

    Ad manager Auditude is partnering with Inlet Technologies to deliver an automated ad insertion solution for live video streaming using Flash. The move means that media companies can better monetize live streaming events which have more complex ad insertion and management characteristics than do on-demand streams. Under the arrangement, Inlet's Spinnaker streaming appliances can detect cues from Auditude's ad manager in order to insert the right ads at the right time.

    Serving ads in live streams has been a differentiator for Auditude, helping it recently land its first Asian deal with Allies Pacific Sports Network which has the rights to stream MLB games in various Asian countries. The deal was similar to one which Auditude has with Yahoo for MLB games domestically. Live streaming as a whole is growing rapidly and offers another exciting online video distribution opportunity for rights holders. The proliferation of both connected devices (allowing on-TV viewing) and mobile devices (allowing on-the-go, remote viewing), both suggest even broader appeal for live streaming events.

    Still, with its unpredictable ad breaks with inconsistent durations, inserting ads in live streams is a new challenge. By helping ease the operational complexity and improve the ROI of live streaming, Auditude and Inlet will help the market grow.

    What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).

     
  • AdoTube Data Suggests Video Ads Benefit From Viewer Control

    AdoTube, an online video ad manager and network is releasing data on the performance of its "Polite Pre-Roll" and interactive ad formats this morning, which provide more insight about viewers' behaviors and preferences. AdoTube's Chief Strategy and Operations Officer Steven Jones walked me through the results yesterday.

    AdoTube began offering the Polite Pre-Roll format last year to clients and has done A-B testing on it vs. standard pre-roll ads on 30 million servings. With the Polite Pre-Roll, viewers are able to click to close the ad, and then a reminder overlay appears at the bottom of the screen, which also can be closed out. In addition the Polite Pre-Roll has far deeper engagement opportunities than standard pre-rolls.

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  • Verizon Wireless: Buy a Droid Incredible, Get Any Smartphone Free

    Raising the bar on Android smartphone promotions further, Verizon Wireless just started a campaign where if you buy an HTC Droid Incredible for $200, you get any other smartphone or phone of equal or lesser value for free (caveat, it must also have a 2-year $30/mo data plan). The offer means that you can get a new top-of-the-line Samsung Galaxy S Fascinate for free. I noticed a full-page ad for the promotion in the Boston Globe, and Verizon Wireless is also running TV ads (below).



    One of the big reasons why Android smartphones are proliferating so fast is wireless carriers' promotional support. The result is that millions of users are now carrying video-capable smartphones, in turn fueling mobile video consumption. Samsung in particular has positioned the Galaxy S line heavily around video, and you've likely seen an ad(s) with the spectacular "Super AMOLED" screen on full display. The iPhone has also emphasized video, but the Android push is significant because once version 2.2 is fully available, Flash 10.1 will run, opening up a huge swatch of Flash-formatted video that isn't accessible on the iPhone (or iPad).

    The expanding base of video-capable smartphones, coupled with upcoming 4G rollouts, has huge potential for transforming the video landscape. Especially for young people, the notion of video being locked to a big-screen TV will be as out of date as black-and-white TV was for a prior generation. Add in all the activity around tablet computers and things only get more interesting.

    Update: No sooner did I post this than Nielsen released new data that of people acquiring smartpohones in the last 6 months, Android led with a 32% share, followed by iPhone and Blackberry at 25-26%.

    What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).

     
  • 5 Items of Interest for the Week of Sept. 27th

    It's Friday and that means that once again VideoNuze is featuring 5-6 interesting online/mobile video industry stories that we weren't able to cover this week. Have a look at them now, or take them with you for weekend reading!

    Nielsen Unveils New Online Advertising Measurement
    comScore Introduces Digital GRP `Overnights` in AdEffx Campaign Essential
    Dueling initiatives from Nielsen and comScore were announced on Monday, aimed at translating online usage into comparable TV ratings information, including reach, frequency and Gross Ratings Points (GRPs). While online video ad buying is ramping up, the tools to measure viewership in a comprehensive way have been lacking. This is one of the main issues holding back content providers from participating in TV Everywhere. 

    Analyst: Cord-cutting fears overblown
    New research shared this week by BTIG analyst Rich Greenfield concludes that less than 8% of the market is actually interested in cord-cutting. The big impediment: losing access to sports and cable programming, which is unlikely to migrate to free over-the-top alternatives. Greenfield's conclusion is that cord-cutting isn't a major threat to pay-TV operators over the next 3-5 years. Notwithstanding the research, another factor I'd point to that could tip cord-cutting the other way is consumers' belt-tightening. Much as nobody wants to lose access to programming, if the price is perceived as too high, they'll make compromises.

    Why YouTube Viewers Have ADD and How to Stop It
    Abandonment rates for online video have always been a concern, and using new research, Visible Measures CMO Matt Cutler now quantifies the behavior. Expect 20% of the audience to drop out within 10 seconds of hitting play, 33% by the 30 second mark and 44% by 60 seconds in. Pretty sobering data but incredibly important in thinking about content creation and monetization.
     

    Networks Have Sharing Issues With Hulu
    Hulu's New Hoop
    On the one hand, Hulu's network partners, ABC, NBC and Fox are reportedly pulling back ad inventory that Hulu is allowed to sell, yet on the other, Hulu is reportedly out aggressively selling ads in Hulu Plus, its subscription service. Meanwhile this week Hulu also announced that Hulu Plus will be accessible on both Roku devices and TiVo Premiere, as it continues chasing Netflix in the subscription game.

    The New Apple TV Reviewed: It`s All About the Video
    Apple TV devices started shipping this week, and reviews began popping up all over the web. This mostly positive review indicates that the user experience is solid, but that content selection is still skimpy. That's no surprise given how few deals Apple has struck to date. Yet to be seen is how Apple TV performs when it can access other iOS apps.
     
  • BrightRoll Unifies Mobile and Online Video Ads in New Offering

    Online video ad network BrightRoll is announcing this morning that clients can now buy pre-roll ads in mobile streams using the same BrightRoll buying platform as they use for online video. The move is further evidence that as the universe of mobile devices that play video continues to proliferate, the infrastructure that allows unified media planning and buying will follow.

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  • Cisco's "LOL" Ad Campaign Showcases Video's Potential

    Cisco is further personalizing its "Human Network" tag line with new "LOL" online ads (that's "Laugh Out Loud" for those of you not attuned to texting/tweeting/IM'ing shorthand), that demonstrate the power of video in our lives. I've seen the Cisco LOL banner ad in a number of web sites recently.

    The ad links to a video wall that features 10 videos ranging from 15 seconds to a few minutes, with all showcasing new ways that video enriches people's lives and makes work more productive. Specific Cisco products/services highlighted include distance learning, telepresence, Webex, digital signage, Flip videocameras and Show and Share. The only celebrities featured are Magic Johnson and Ellen Page, with the latter's video a replay of her TV ad. While it's tempting to think of online video as being all about media, the Cisco wall shows there are many other uses.

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  • VideoNuze Report Podcast #75 - Sept. 17, 2010

    Daisy Whitney and I are pleased to present the 75th edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for September 17, 2010.

    Daisy gets us started this week, adding detail to her New Media Minute in which she discusses the range of hyper-local online news and advertising initiatives currently underway from companies such as AOL, ESPN, NY Times and NPR. Daisy offers her assessment of the pros and cons of this area which has gained a lot of recent attention.

    Speaking of advertising, we then chat about my post from earlier this week, "YouTube Gets Center Stage in Google's New 'Watch This Space' Ad Campaign" which I believe is the first time that Google has heavily promoted the attractiveness of its display ads and more specifically video advertising on YouTube for major brands. With Google TV coming soon and a new head of content partnerships, Google is on the march to the living room.

    Click here to listen to the podcast (16 minutes, 2 seconds)


    Click here for previous podcasts

    The VideoNuze Report is available in iTunes...subscribe today!
     
  • YouTube Gets Center Stage in Google's New "Watch This Space" Ad Campaign

    Last Thursday Google announced a new ad campaign promoting its display advertising opportunities called "Watch This Space." Having seen it in action for the first time, on the AllThingsD.com web site the last 2 days, it is clear that Google is giving YouTube center stage in this campaign. It's the first time I'm aware of that ad opportunities on YouTube have been so heavily promoted and I believe signals the growing importance of YouTube in Google's overall ad business.

    The 300x600 Google ad unit (see below) expands to show 3 clickable tabs:

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  • Auditude Scores in Asia with MLB International Ad Insertion Deal

    Video ad manager Auditude is announcing this morning that it has scored its first Asian deal, with Allied Pacific Sports Network, which in turn has exclusive rights to distribute certain Major League Baseball content in China and other Asian countries. Under the deal, APSN will use Auditude to dynamically insert video ads into live MLB games. Mike Gaffney, Auditude's Chief Revenue Officer explained to me yesterday that the deal mirrors one which the company has with Yahoo, in which the latter sells and places adds in live domestic MLB video streams.

    For Auditude, the APSN deal is its first foray into Asia. The move appears to be opportunistic as the company has been mainly focused on building up its European business through an office in London. Mike said that Dailymotion, the large aggregator site in France is a key reason for its European push. The APSN deal came about due to MLB's recommendation.

    Auditude is differentiating itself based on its ability to serve ads in live streams where there's more uncertainty around the length of each stream and the time allocated to ads, making pre-determined ad insertion harder to execute than in on-demand viewing. Live sports are a perfect example of this. Live streaming is expanding dramatically as comScore noted recently, and with YouTube now testing its technology to enable its partners to live stream more growth is surely ahead. As more video providers jump into live and require ad serving, Auditude is positioned to benefit.

    What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).


     
  • 5 News Items of Interest for the Week of Aug 30th

    In a week dominated by Apple's new products, there actually was some other interesting online/mobile video industry news this week. Continuing VideoNuze's new Friday feature of highlighting 5-6 stories that we didn't cover this week, below are a collection of items for your weekend reading pleasure.

    YouTube Ads Turn Videos Into Revenue
    The 800-pound gorilla of the online video industry is reportedly closing in on profitability, based partly on ads running against user-uploaded copyrighted material. By detecting these uploads and offering the underlying rights owners the choice to have their video taken down or leave it up and generate revenue, many are choosing the latter. YouTube continues to evolve from its UGC roots.
     
    Samsung, Toshiba Unveil Google-Based iPad Rivals
    The battle line between Apple's "i" devices and those running Google's Android will ramp up, with mobile video set to follow, as Samsung and Toshiba plan to sell tablet computers in the coming months. Though the iPad is of to a strong start, it looks like it won't enjoy the same market dominance as the iPhone did as competitors jump into the tablet market quickly.

    Google TV: Up to $300 Price Premium?
    The components to enable Google TV could add $300 to the retail price of a television. If accurate this would put Google TV at a big competitive disadvantage given the trend toward lower-priced connected devices such as this week's $99 Apple TV and Roku's price cuts.

    A Look Back: Lessons Learned From TV Everywhere a Year After Deployment
    Marty Roberts, VP of Sales and Marketing for thePlatform, which has powered a number of TV Everywhere rollouts, offers insights based on the company's experience. Topics include authentication, content ingest, parental controls, discovery and content security. TV Everywhere is still in a nascent stage, but pay-TV providers should be following early lessons and moving quickly.

    ShowUHow Scores $3 Million Series A Backing for Video Instruction Guides
    A startup site that offers video instruction guides for various types of products that need to be assembled illustrates how valuable video can be for how-to video applications.

     
  • 5 News Items of Interest for the Week of Aug 23rd

    Following is the latest update to VideoNuze's new Friday feature, highlighting 5-6 of the most intriguing industry news items from the week that VideoNuze wasn't able to cover.

    Ads skipped by 86% of TV viewers, but TV ads still most memorable

    A new Deloitte survey unsurprisingly finds high rates of ad skipping among DVR users watching time-shifted programs, yet also notes that 52% of respondents say TV advertising is more memorable than any other type (only 2% cited online video advertising). Is there a love-hate relationship with good old TV advertising?

    Endemol USA Plans Kobe Bryant Web Series
    Online video continues attracting celebrities, with the latest being LA Laker star Kobe Bryant, who will be featured in 8 episodes teaching Filipino kids about hoops. The series is being produced and promoted by powerhouse Endemol. More evidence that independent online video is gaining.

    NFL Sunday Ticket To-Go, Without DirecTV
    DirecTV unbundles its popular NFL package, selling online access to non-subscribers for $350. It's not clear there will be many takers at this price point, but it does raise interesting possibilities about unbundled subscribers connecting to their TVs and also how sports will be impacted by online and mobile viewing.

    TiVo Launches Remote with Slide-Out Keyboard
    TiVo is enhancing navigation with a long-awaited keyboard that slides out of its standard-shaped remote control for $90. With TiVo's new Premiere box offering more video choices than ever, quicker navigation is required. As other connected devices hit the market, it will be interesting to see what clever solutions they come up with too.

    MTVN's Greg Clayman Heads to News Corp to Lead iPad Newspaper
    Amid the ongoing shuffle of digital media executives, MTV Networks lost a key leader in Greg Clayman, who's moving to News Corp to head up their new iPad newspaper. Greg's been on VideoSchmooze panels and we've done webinars together; he always brings great insights as well as a terrific sense of humor.
     
  • Webinar Highlights - Indie Online Video, Syndication and Brand Integration

    On Tuesday, VideoNuze and The Diffusion Group hosted their fourth webinar in a 2010 series of six sponsored by ActiveVideo Networks, with this one focusing on "Demystifying Independent Online Video and Syndication Models."

    The webinar featured informative and timely discussion/Q&A with Richard Bloom, SVP, Business Development for 5min, and Jim Louderback, CEO of Revision3.  The focus of the discussion was on business models for success in independent online video with a specific lean towards syndication. Both Jim and Rich honed in on how syndication helps solve the difficulties with finding eyeballs and building audience in the fragmented broadband video landscape.

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  • 5 News Items of Interest for the Week of Aug 16th

    I've received positive feedback on the Friday feature I introduced 2 weeks ago, highlighting 5-6 of the most intriguing online and mobile video industry news items that I noticed during the week. As a result, I'm continuing on today and look forward to your further reactions.

    As a reminder, each day in the right column of both the VideoNuze web site and email you'll find the "Exclusive News Roundup" which includes the most relevant online and mobile video industry articles that I've curated from numerous sources around the web. Typically there are 35-40 links rounded up each week, which means VideoNuze now has thousands of links available, all fully searchable. This is an invaluable resource when doing research and I encourage you to take a look next time you're hunting for a specific piece of online/mobile video information.

    Now on to this week's most intriguing news:

    Hulu is Said to Be Ready for an I.P.O.
    The big news leading off the week was that Hulu is testing the waters for a public offering valuing the company at $2 billion. Investors beware: while ad sales are up, exclusive deals with key TV networks are short-term, subscription service Hulu Plus is still unproven and competition from Netflix and others is intensifying. If the deal works, it will be a huge milestone for the company.

    Rumored $99 iTV Could Pave Way for $2,000 Apple-Connected Television
    A Wall Street analyst conjectures that Apple is well-positioned to offer a high-end, connected TV. Apple has been on the sidelines as online video makes its way to the TV, surely this won't remain the case forever.

    Netflix Lust for "True Blood" Is Unrequited As HBO Blocks Path
    Though Netflix just landed Epix, it is unlikely to get a deal with HBO any time soon, as the big premium network is committed to its current distribution partners, and to its own online extension, HBO Go. Netflix will still find plenty of other willing partners given its strong motivation to acquire streaming content rights.

    In Battle of Smartphones, Google Has the Right Answer
    With Google's Android phones proliferating, the iPhone's market share is slipping. And with Android tablets coming, the iPad will soon be in the crosshairs from competitors. For mobile video this means more choices and flexibility.

    Net Profits for BermanBraun
    Big ad agency Starcom MediaVest commits up to a $100 million to upstart Hollywood producer for deeper brand integrations. More evidence that ad spending is moving online and in more creative ways.
     
  • For Mobile Video, Primetime Continues to be Most of the Time

    Rhythm New Media's Q2 '10 mobile video advertising report, which is being released this morning, continues to show how mobile video consumption is spread throughout the day. Unlike online video or traditional TV, where there's a large difference in viewership between the 8pm-11pm primetime daypart vs. other dayparts, the Rhythm data (see below) shows a more even distribution. Rhythms data is based on about 1 billion content views and 75 ad campaigns run during the quarter. Adam Wright reported similar findings in Rhythm's Q1 '10 report.


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  • Stallone's YouTube Video Ad for "The Expendables" Breaks the Mold

    If you haven't seen Sylvester Stallone's new video ad now running on YouTube's home page for his upcoming movie The Expendables, take time to check it out it as it completely breaks the mold. It begins as a large banner on YouTube.com (see below). When you click, a standard-looking sit-down video interview between Stallone and TV personality Shira Lazar starts rolling. Pretty quickly the effects begin and you realize this is anything but a standard interview. I won't spoil the fun for you.



    The Expendables ad is yet another example of how dramatically online video advertising is opening up the creative palette, allowing brands to do totally unconventional things that get shared and noticed. Another recent example was the Old Spice man ad, which itself became an online video/social media phenomenon. No doubt others will follow. For brands accustomed to operating within the narrow confines of 30-second TV ads, the world is changing fast, and for the better.

    What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).
     
  • BrightRoll Launches BRX Online Video Advertising Exchange

    Online video ad network BrightRoll is launching the BrightRoll Exchange ("BRX") this morning, a self-service online video ad exchange intended to catalyze large-scale, efficient pre-roll video ad buying. BrightRoll CEO Tod Sacerdoti told me yesterday that BRX has been in the works for over a year and began a quiet beta test in April, initially with BrightRoll itself as the primary buyer, and in June with the first 3rd party buyers added. Tod said BRX now has hundreds of publishers participating and thousands of targetable URLs.

    Exchanges have long been important parts of the display ad buying ecosystem and Tod sees online video advertising following the same cycle. Over the past several years more and more brands and agencies have begun buying online video ads, learning about the new medium and its ROIs. Some bigger buyers are already looking to buy at scale, and others will surely follow. However, BrightRoll research suggests that key obstacles remain, with half of publishers it surveyed unable to sell 20% of their online video ad inventory. BrightRoll believes this is primarily due to buying inefficiencies.

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  • Ooyala Supporting Monetization of HTML5 Video

    Online video platform Ooyala is announcing this morning that its HTML5 video player is now supporting dynamic ad insertion for IAB-standard ads. This means that content providers using Ooyala's Backlot platform will be able to monetize video consumed by iPads and iPhones.

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  • FreeWheel Lands Univision and Scales Up for Live Events

    FreeWheel, the video ad management and monetization provider, is announcing this morning that it has landed Spanish-language broadcaster Univision as its latest customer. In the past year, Univision has become one of the most active broadcasters involved with online video, signing a deal to move a large amount of its content to YouTube for distribution, offering full episodes of its telenovelas at a recently-created web site, "Novela y Series," launching a video app for BlackBerry users, and of course most recently, streaming 10 million+ hours of live World Cup games on UnivisionFutbol.com

    For FreeWheel, Univision follows Turner, Warner Bros., VEVO, Discovery, CBS and others on FreeWheel's customer roster. Note that Univision had not yet deployed FreeWheel for its UnivisionFutbol.com site but that FreeWheel was inserting ads in ESPN3.com's World Cup online streaming which generated 7.4 million unique viewers and 15.7 million hours viewed. I talked to co-CEO and co-founder Doug Knopper earlier this week, who shared some recent statistics from the World Cup action and discussed how FreeWheel is scaling up to better serve ads in live, as well as on-demand, online video.

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