Video Sites Challenge HDTV's Quest To Keep Viewers

High-definition TV was expected, in part, to slow the exodus of viewers online. But a growing number of digital content and ad providers are challenging TV's hold on visual quality with better technology and services.

Vimeo, a video-sharing site owned by Barry Diller's IAC, began distributing user-generated videos in HD late last year. The peer-to-peer-powered Web TV startup Joost also offers high-resolution content.

Just last week, the NBC/News Corp. co-venture Hulu.com launched to the public with limited HD content as one of the first tests of the new Adobe Flash Player, which supports streaming HD.

Now, video ad network BrightRoll today is launching a proprietary HD ad unit for branded advertisers to deliver campaigns in high-definition across its network of publishers, including CNN, MTV, and CBS News.

BrightRoll CEO Tod Sacerdoti actually believes the Web is better suited for delivering HD content than TV. "HDTV penetration is just 33% of U.S. households, while right now advertisers can use HD content to reach over 65% of all Internet consumers," Sacerdoti said.

Thanks to all the hype over HDTV, however, BrightRoll and other ad networks can now take advantage of the growing number of advertisers with HD-ready creative.

"There are plenty of advertisers who are ready to go with HD," said Sacerdoti. "We just have to show them how well it works online."

The San Francisco-based BrightRoll has signed at least one major advertiser in the field of computer technology, and is presently working on a campaign with Universal McCann.

BrightRoll is not the only distributor in the business of high-quality video ads. Break Media just last week unveiled its own ad unit, which expands across the screen and lets users view a high-resolution version of the clip. (The video does fall short of the 720 horizontal lines of resolution that define the high-definition standard.)

BrightRoll attempts to simplify HD campaigns by providing advertisers with access to a large segment of pre-approved, HD-ready publishers online. Presently, the startup is not even charging advertisers premium fees to deliver HD campaigns online.

Launched in July 2006, BrightRoll is built entirely on proprietary video ad-serving, targeting and optimization technology. According to Sacerdoti, the average BrightRoll video campaign now reaches over 50 million unique users over a six-week period.

Next story loading loading..