Klipmart Pushes Broadband Upfronts

As media planners gear up for this year's television upfront negotiations, Klipmart has launched an initiative to add online video to the mix, the company said Thursday. Led by former Carat Fusion executive (and MediaPost "Online Spin" columnist) Cory Treffiletti, the plan is to convince buyers that online should no longer take a back seat to national and cable TV.

"Broadband video has become a must-have companion to TV advertising, so it makes sense that it should be planned in the same way and at the same time as the traditional TV and cable upfront," explained Rick Kleczkowski, Klipmart's senior vice president of business development. Klipmart is currently in discussions with a number of media planners, said Kleczkowski.

Spending on broadband video in the United States is expected to reach $385 million this year--up from $225 million in 2005, according to eMarketer. And according to Jupiter Research, 68 percent of U.S. homes online now access the Web through a broadband connection.

Klipmart is particularly confident that an inventory shortage on the part of leading Web destinations will encourage buyers to think ahead, Kleczkowski added.

While media buyers have dabbled with the concept of securing ad inventory for several years, only recently has the effort taken off. Late last month, Heavy.com, a popular distraction for about 10 million young males, began a "digital upfront," which consists of 30 hours of upcoming programming through the end of this year.

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