Just as advertising in general has followed consumers online, the growing presence of online video – much of it broadcasters' catch-up TV – is providing an incentive to advertisers and marketers to increase their online video advertising.
From small beginnings, online video advertising is now set for big growth. It is also undergoing rapid and significant changes, both in what it is and where it shows up around publishers' and broadcasters' online content.
This supplement looks at various trends driving online video advertising and also at some of the obstacles to its growth. There are success stories from brands like comparethemarket.com, which has taken the lowly meerkat into the spotlight of consumer awareness.
We explore the evolution of the pre-roll advert, which remains the online video advertising behemoth, cornering the lionshare of the money, and is the classic route for advertisers wanting to be affiliated with online video. We also look at some of the new ad formats like "inskins" that allow an advertiser literally to surround the video player with their message.
There is a lot of work being done in creating better analytics for online video and online video ads and we report on some of the steps being taken by the Internet Advertising Bureau and others to provide better metrics to advertisers and clients.
As online users expect a more personalised and interactive experience online, we look at what advertisers are learning from social media and connected devices that are providing TVs with an internet connection.
And we examine how all this change is affecting advertising agencies and buyers as they look forward to a more connected and interactive future where brands are increasingly "going direct" to their consumers.
