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How Will Video Ads Evolve?
An article by Forbes columnist Louis Hau examines the problem of pre-roll advertisements -- which struggle too hold the attention of consumers -- and some creative solutions that marketers are coming up with to adapt traditional advertising to the Web.
Hau looks into one solution to the problem, which is to show ads and the video clips at the same time, using small icons to brand the video screen the viewer is watching, as well as Videoegg's "endcap," which giving viewers options after the clip is finished running. Still, Hau finds, pre-roll ads are appealing -- at least for a while.
Despite the emergence of new ad formats, pre-roll ads will remain an attractive option for many marketers, as long as they are rotated frequently and are the right length, says Adam Gerber, vice president of ad products and strategy at Internet video company Brightcove.
Pre-rolls of 10 to 15 seconds are already common. YouTube founder Chad Hurley said last month that the video portal giant is mulling the use of three-second pre-roll ads.
