Mochila Utilizes 'Portrait' Ads To Rejuvenate Online Display Spend

Ad-UnitContent syndication platform Mochila is the latest online company to adopt the large-format "Portrait" ad developed by AOL as part of its Project Devil display ad system.

Hearst last week became the first Web publisher to begin selling the unit, which runs on the right side of the page. It offers a large ad space segmented into three panels that can be customized with a variety of media streams and applications.

The Portrait ad is part of the wider industry effort to rejuvenate online display advertising with a new generation of attention-grabbing, engaging ad formats. The format was one of six larger new ad units approved by the Interactive Advertising Bureau in February.

For its part, Mochila said its Portrait ad offering would allow for "highly customizable and contextual articles, photos and video that can be hyper-targeted to Web sites, mobile applications and other properties." The three-panel ads provide room for interactive elements such as videos, games, coupons, photo galleries and maps. Users can interact with the ads without having to leave the page.

In addition to the standard 300 x 1050 (pixel) format, Mochila will also offer a larger 300 x 1200 version. The company -- which boasts hundreds of publishing and advertising partners, including Reuters, Tribune Company, and WebMD -- will continue to build additional IAB standard units, as well as create full-page sections and complete sites.

The Mochila network overall spans 1,500 sites reaching a monthly audience of more than 150 million.

According to the IAB, display-related advertising increased 24% last year to $9.9 billion. Despite the push behind eye-catching new interactive units, spending on rich media was roughly flat at about $1.5 billion. The subcategory's share of overall online ad dollars slipped from 7% to 6%.

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