Interactive Pre-Rolls Boost Time Spent by 49%

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If the Interactive Advertising Bureau has its way, then the majority of video ads on the Web will include interactive features in a few years. But how effective is interactivity in a pre-roll spot?

Online ad platform Jivox studied more than 250 campaigns delivered using its interactive technology for the last two years across sectors including auto, entertainment, consumer products, retail and others. The conclusion is that interactivity can boost interaction by 49% for ads watched all the way through.

Okay, let’s get the usual disclaimers out of the way. Yes, Jivox has a stake in promoting interactive features in its ads -- that’s its business. And yes, it stands to reason that interactive features should boost time spent or they wouldn’t exist. Even so, this is a promising stat for an online video business that’s always looking for an edge over TV, and it underscores another way that the business can continue to grow, whether through interactivity, better data, or simply better ROI.

Jivox found that of the viewers who watched an interactive video ad to completion, they spent an additional 49% of time interacting with the brand versus with standard pre-rolls. That additional time consists of interactive options such as sharing it or liking it on Facebook or Twitter, as well as custom interactions tailored for the campaign, such as clicking to watch more videos, linking to schedules for movies or shows, jumping to white papers or online quizzes in the tech sector, and looking up store or dealer locations and photo galleries for automakers. The entertainment category saw the highest brand engagement lift with a 60% boost in time, while the financial category was lowest at 30%, Jivox said.

Retail is a category that would benefit from interactivity with links to sales and buying. But in a related finding, ad management platform Vindico said that in the fourth quarter -- the biggest season for retail -- only 27% of the online video ad inventory capable of running interactive spots was used by retailers to do so.

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4 comments on "Interactive Pre-Rolls Boost Time Spent by 49%".

1. The digital Hobo from TheDigitalHobo.com
   

   commented on: July 31, 2012 at 3:45 p.m.
   On the surface, this is pretty good news o video advertisers. However, the pragmatism of the matter leaves a lot to be desired. A :15 second ad would get an additional :07 of time spent. As a percentage, thats significant. But as an actual interaction, how much can a user do in 7 seconds? They can barely type out "LOL" and post to Facebook in 7 seconds. For entertainment marketers promoting additional content and longer trailers, shouldn't we see much larger increases? A :30 ad for a movie offering a full trailer should easily generate 100% increases. Would definitely like to see more stats on :15 vs :30. Would like to see stats on features - like trailers, or social sharing - rather than by vertical.
2. Doug Garnett from Atomic Direct
   

   commented on: July 31, 2012 at 4:31 p.m.
   Wonder how this interacts with the report noted by Byron Sharp recently and published in Ad Age - that fully blank banner ads got higher click-through-rates than ads with content? I guess that's why I remain fundamentally quite cautious in believing this is significant. Statistically, those would be called "significant results". But that doesn't mean they have any real value.
3. John Wettersten from Media Activation
   

   commented on: July 31, 2012 at 5:01 p.m.
   I would say it's how you read the data: if they're tracking only ads viewed to completion and they get a 0.05% CTR then the engagement levels actually may be high spread across 100 viewers. Coming more from iTV, I can tell you viewers clicking through are spending enormous amounts of time with brands who take advantage of interactivity. And generally speaking, you get better click-through rates on TV.
4. Mike Dawson from Solly Labs
   

   commented on: August 1, 2012 at 12:12 p.m.
   Retailers moving their vending from bricks and mortar to the online ether, have no choice but to go the interactive route. That said, they need to apply relevant discounts in conjunction with interactivity to make up for the loss to buyers, that is if buyers are to increasingly gravitate to the web vending platform. At the root, whilst talking about increased time interacting with the brand is one thing, what is being delivered in essence is a more involved buying experience. To substitute the ability to touch the product, to see it in real life, and to enjoy being pampered by the sales representative, retailers need to use every weapon in their arsenal - Buying should not be a chore, the money is hard earned and there must be enjoyment in the transaction itself. Interactive video is an essential element of a superior buying experience. Mike Dawson of sollylabs.blogspot.com

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