AOL tries tickers to attract clickers

Various surveys carried out in the past few months have revealed that people find pre-roll video ads particularly annoying, hence the search for the perfect balance that is passive yet interactive. AOL is touting its new online video advertising format as the best solution.

Unlike pre-rolls, AOL’s solution called “video ticker ads” doesn’t cut in until 10 seconds into the video and users have to take action by clicking on it. After 10 seconds has elapsed, a graphic banner, which doesn't obliterate any part of the video being watched, appears in the bottom of the screen with messages enticing the viewer to click through.

If the viewer clicks on the ticker ad the main video content is paused while the ad plays out in either Flash or video format.

However, if after 15 seconds the viewer doesn’t click on the ticker, it disappears leaving only a branded text link.

"This is quite different from pre-rolls because even though you have a fuller ad that sits behind the ticker, the user has to take action by clicking,” said Greg Sterling, principal analyst at Sterling Market Intelligence (via TopTechNews). “So there's a greater burden on the marketer."

Tags: AOL, online video, pre-roll, ticker, video advertising