Release to keep viewers from skipping pre-roll ads

Ever wonder if those pre-roll ads are actually being watched? Or skipped over? Many brands have and a new release from Solve Media may keep those viewers watching. YouTube, arguably the largest video site, began allowing viewers to skip pre-roll ads in 2011.

by Kristina Knight

Since, researchers say between 70% and 80% of viewers are skipping pre-roll ads. In addition to ad skipping, comScore and Solve Media researchers found that about half (52%) of viewers 'zone out' during pre-roll ads while just over 47% report opening another browser window during pre-roll ads. Enter the Pre-Roll Insurance program through Solve Media which works similarly to their CAPTCHA-based Type-In ad solution. To skip an ad - which is still possible - viewers simply enter the brand's tagline or message into a message box. Once the information is typed in, viewers to directly to the content, sans ad.

"We built this pre-roll insurance technology because our research shows that two out of three people attempt to skip a pre-roll ad when given a choice, which is a huge loss for brands and publishers alike," said Solve Media CEO Ari Jacoby. "Solve Media is focused on eliminating risk in online brand advertising. This new technology provides certainty to our agency, advertiser and publisher partners about awareness, recall and purchase intent in the video environment."

The solution allows consumers to go about their business without interruption, says the company, while offering brands a scalable option for video engagement. Toyota was one of the first to sign on to the platform, for a recent RAV4 campaign.

Dionne Colvin, national marketing media manager at Toyota said, "We are constantly looking for innovative products that deliver on engagement and have found that this pre-roll offering ensures consumers are truly interacting with our brand and remembering our messages."