Interviews with Digital Media Thought Leaders

Best Internet Video Ad Format

Podcast Video | Posted by Phil Leigh on July 19, 2009

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If you would like to watch an example of a successful Internet video ad format, this video is for you.

MTV conducted a research study to discover the kind of video ad format that works best for their streamed music videos. The results are important because we infer that they’ll apply to Interactive television as well.

The project concluded that a five-second pre-roll followed by a temporary translucent overlay along the lower third of the screen of the ensuing music video provided the best results. To see an actual demonstration of such an ad click on the above player.

While the results of the survey are significant, it is dismaying that the press release failed to contain links to videos illustrating the formats tested. Not one of the three involved companies, MTV, Panache, and InsightExpress, seems to understand that demonstrative videos can be embedded in such releases. If they do understand it, then they don’t seem to realize the advantages of demonstrating the video ad formats as opposed to merely describing them with text.

Major video-centric media companies should stop complaining that the Internet is not generating enough revenue for them if they fail to use the Web’s multimedia characteristics in such obvious opportunities. It’s the 21st Century and time to get rid of PR firms that still seem to think that most press release recipients only read them after they have arrived via postal mail.

To learn more about the future of television advertising, check-out our July ’09 market research report entitled Future Developments in Video Advertising .