• by Tyler Loechner  @mp_tyler, February 18, 2014

Viewability has become one of the more important metrics for advertisers, but it’s still not perfect. In the case of video ads, how can you know the viewer was even paying attention? The same question applies to television ads -- just because the TV is on when the ad played doesn’t mean the viewer was even in the same room.

However, unlike TV ads, it’s easier to measure user engagement in the online world. Are You A Human, a Detroit-based start-up with a focus on interactive advertising, is doing just that. The company on Tuesday announced the launch of PlayThru for Video, an add-on for existing pre-roll campaigns.

The add-on incorporates interactive features in video ads not just to draw attention to the ad but to actually reward the viewer. In the case of PlayThru for Video, the viewer’s incentive is to get past the ad and on to their content faster.

While skipping past the ad may seem contradictory to the ad’s purpose, Are You A Human claims the interactive component ultimately increases brand favorability by 33%. Additionally, the company says users who engage with PlayThru ads are just as likely to remember the brand as those who watch the full ad.

Reid Tatoris, Are You A Human’s co-founder, stated: “Pre-roll videos are effective when they’re watched, but we all know that the majority of users tune out or do something else until the ad finishes.”

Similar to the way advertisers can choose to pay only for ads in-view, Are You A Human only charges “when a real human has interacted” with the ad.

Are You a Human says Ford, Chevy and Hasbro have all used PlayThru for campaigns. The company claims that the technology is used on over 7,000 sites and reaches over 7 million users each month.

The company has partnered with PopSugar, TubeMogul and Complex Media for the launch of PlayThru for Video.