AOL implements new video formats for advertisers

AOL introduced on July 23rd five new premium video formats, aimed at increasing consumer engagement with brands. Havas was the first agency to sign up to offer this format to their clients. The Branded skip video format will offer viewers the option of interacting with a brand by filling out a survey, for example, instead of watching the entire ad. The Branded slate option presents an animated, seven-second branding segment, before a content video begins.”As digital continues to evolve and grow, advertisers are demanding new ways to naturally engage with audiences “, said David Miller, VP of Advertising for Product Management at AOL. “This allows for more creative branding and unlocks new audience targeting opportunities through data and automation”. The other new formats are Linear expandable which places an ad over the video for viewers to enjoy a microsite of the brand, rich in content; Linear modules, which consists of icons that appear while the advertiser´s video is playing; and Linear sequence, in which an interactive end-frame after the advertiser´s video has finished. All these formats are available throughout the entire AOL platform, that includes propierties like Huffington Post, Autoblog and TechCrunch.