• by August 7, 2007

Airtran, Georgia-Pacific, Michelin, Nationwide, Staples and Zantac were among the advertisers as The Weather Channel Interactive (TWCI), launched a new flash-based video player called "Blue Box" on weather.com.

Each advertiser gets three ad locations. A pre-roll runs in the video space itself. While the pre-roll plays, an IAB-standard 300x250 banner covers the page's playlist--and once the pre-roll ends, it retracts into a 768x90 banner below the playlist.

TWCI is using DoubleClick's In-Stream video ad server and the firm's DART for Publishers ad management and serving solution.

TWCI also said it will use Brightcove's Internet TV platform corporate-wide, giving it the ability to syndicate content to other Web sites and through email, blogs and social networks.

The new player features made-for-broadband content as well as programming from The Weather Channel network, divided into five "channels": Forecasts, Lifestyle, News/Breaking Weather, On The Weather Channel, and Severe Weather. TWCI said Blue Box allows for easier navigation, searching and sharing of videos with friends.