"Dead spots" identified by new video ad overlay solution

One sure-fire way to upset a video viewer is to interrupt their experience with advertising. Of the existing formats, pre-roll ads are most popular with online video viewers because they know they will get an ad-free viewing experience for the cost of a 15 or 30-second distraction upfront.

Post-roll ads are also quite acceptable to consumers but many advertisers prefer not to be featured at the tail end of a production.

Television-like ad placements, at intervals throughout the video presentation, aren't so well received because the viewer experience is disjointed.

Overlays have become a viable alternative, as long as they aren't obscuring vital elements of the video content. The problem with existing solutions is that the position of an overlay is fixed and doesn't necessarily complement the video content.

Video ad technology company Arti-Media have introduced a new video ad placement product that analyzes video content and overlays standard IAB ads in areas identified as "dead spots" - static surfaces or landscapes such as an area of sky, sea, land or a brick wall.

The idea is that the "dead spots" won't be the focus of the viewer's attention and therefore be the least intrusive place in which to locate an ad.

"Publishers want to monetize their assets, but don't want to upset user experience," Arti-Media's co-founder and VP of business development, Sagi Gordon, told ClickZ. "Any kind of advertising is intrusive, but it's about finding a balance."

Tags: ad format, online advertising, online video, video advertising