• by David Goetzl , October 5, 2009

MediaVest, which represents clients such as Procter & Gamble, said it has shifted millions of dollars that were traditionally earmarked for broadcast TV to online video hub Hulu.com. The upfront-style deal gives the agency inventory across the site, which includes clips from "Saturday Night Live," full episodes of cable and network shows and films.

MediaVest said the deal covers multiple clients, while allowing for demographic targeting.

The deal also provides MediaVest with opportunities for "custom research," based on Hulu audience behavior. The agency said this is intended to provide insight into online video's effectiveness as an ad medium in general, as well as determining what kinds of messaging work best for specific user segments.

"Smarter targeting, expanded metrics and the opportunity to test new ad experiences and their effectiveness -- these are all critical ingredients for unlocking the full potential of online video and key drivers of this partnership," says Amanda Richman, executive vice president of digital operations at MediaVest.

In this case, transferring broadcast dollars to online likely will not mean lost revenues for major media companies. Co-owners of Hulu -- NBC Universal, Disney and News Corp. -- also own networks, so the deal may simply amount to shifting dollars from one division into another under their corporate umbrellas.