9% get annoyed at ad-overlays

Only 9% of people find overlay video ads to be intrusive and detract from their overall viewing experience, according to a report by ITV.

ITV are testing various ad formats for placements within their video content. Overlays seem to be more popular (or rather less unpopular) than pre-roll ads, and have a 5% CTR – way higher than pre-roll.

The broadcaster has partnered with Keystream to test the new technology on the ITV Local Your News channel, with uSwitch and FreeSat as the first advertisers to trial the new approach.

Why blog this? It is a fine balancing between interuption and click-thru rates when it comes to inline video advertising. Already a number of platforms who allow innovative approaches to inline ads are springing up, and broadcasters and content distributors are eager to try them out. ITV is already discussing the user of inset advertising using technology which allows adverts to be placed on surfaces within content, which can of course be dynamically changed per market.

MTV says “please steal our shizzle”

A new partnership between MySpace and MTV Networks might have content owners changing their tune – and actually encouraging people to upload all the content they want.

Utilising new technology called auditude, content providers can potentially identify their material on Myspace without any user tagging or similar, and serve ads to monetise the embedded video.

via [RWW]

More interactive Youtube

You’ll need to see this at Youtube for it to work fully.

Youtube to offer full length CBS episodes

Google’s YouTube has begun testing a dramatic departure in content and advertising, adding 15 50-minute TV episodes from Star Trek, Beverly Hills 90210, and MacGyver and with prominent new ads. The videos include pre-roll and post-roll advertising, as well as mid-roll ads during the content.

“As we test this new format, we also want to ensure that our partners have more options when it comes to advertising on their full-length TV shows,” Google said.

Why blog this? It is clear that Google need to explore the possibilities of monetisation for the increasing amount of full-length content which networks and producers are putting online. For commercial entities, this is another great step forwards to help reach a wider audience with relative ease, and lower cost to distribution.

ITV to develop pop-up advertising

Television viewers may soon be unable to avoid adverts during their favourite shows as ITV develops plans for “pop-up” commercials.

ITV are developing automated ‘overlays’ which could be inserted into television programming during the show, rather than waiting for advert breaks.

Why blog this? The fact that I could only find this posted on This is London makes me wary of the validity of the story, and its context, it may well be that the technology is being developed for less nefarious reasons (it mentions videos on the ITV website, rather than any broadcast materials), but in any case, an interesting concept. If they reach the same level of hate as popup advertising in the digital world, I will not be surprised – but will be surprised if they’re implemented as such. I shall investigate more!

Gossip on demand

The Guardian ran a piece on The CW channel’s website today which discusses the desirability of items contained within the show, and their support in delivering those items to the consumer

“Our target group, which is mainly women between the ages of 18 and 34, are the sort of people whose main interest lies in music and fashion,” says The CW’s head of marketing, Rick Haskins. “They hear the music on the show and see the clothes and think, I wonder where I could get that dress that Leighton [Meester who plays Gossip Girl’s Blair Waldorf] is wearing, or I love that tune and I’d like to download it now.”

Why blog this? Advertising models are changing rapidly, and product placement, whether it be overt or otherwise, is gaining rapid popularity once again. From the relatively simple beginnings of ‘As Seen on Screen‘, which is now a substantial enterprise, through to this example of the broadcasters making the most of their audiences desire to be seen in the clothing of their idols, listen to the same music, drink the same soda, the internet provides a easy end to end channel for creating interest through to purchase. Less commercial models appear via this concept also, as placement of ‘macguffin‘ type objects or subtle messaging introducing other characters or clues through a fictional narrative may lead to the audience spending time investigating sub-plots or character development offline. Lost, The Dark Knight and Cloverfield used this to good effect in pre-release marketing (and of course ARG type content), and creating back stories online for further exploration which cannot be afforded on screen, is an excellent application of digital.

Family Guy Guy does Google

Seth Macfarlane, creator of cult hit Family Guy, has teamed up with Google Adsense to create ‘Seth MacFarlane’s Cavalcade of Cartoon Comedy‘, a number of shortform animated clips served through the Google Adsense delivery platform. Rather than serving a Google Ad, the content posted on supporting sites is a short cartoon, such as the one featured here, along with a pre-roll advert from the current sponsor, who are currently Burger King.

Why blog this? Whilst the primary delivery is through Google, many Family Guy/MacFarlane fans are linking to, or posting the videos on their own blogs – leading to the question, is this a cartoon with an advert at the start, or an advert with a cartoon at the end? In any case, when users are actively embedding advertising sponsored content in their own spaces, not to mention those advertisers who make revenue share from the placements, this is a very interesting new step for funded content.