• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, February 1, 2010

Brand-focused online ad network Brand.net on Monday is expected to launch its first foray into video with a campaign for Unilever's line of I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spreads.

Brand.net's new video solution uses VAST 2.0, the IAB's newly released online video pre-roll advertising standard, to extend the company's branding capabilities across its network.

"8 of the 10 largest CPGs, and 3 of the 5 largest big box retailers, were repeat Brand.net customers in 2009," said Elizabeth Blair, co-founder and CEO of the company. "Our customers asked us to extend Brand.net's offering to Video, and our solution ... was developed in close consultation with them."

Last year, Silicon Valley-based Brand.net debuted what is called a "quality certification platform," which combines a grading system with proprietary page-level content filtering technology.

To improve the process of targeting ads on specific spots and pages, Brand.net relies on IBM Proventia Web filter technology from IBM Internet Security Systems, which blocks unwanted Web content, analyzing both text and image content.

The company's strategy follows a three-step process to ensure that ads serve-up in the best spot. First, it evaluates each site on over a dozen attributes. Then, each site is assigned a control grade. Finally, during the ad-serving process, Brand.net's page-level content-filtering technology screens the content on the individual pages within each site where ads will be placed.

Like many top brands, online video has become a key marketing component for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. The Unilever brand recently debuted a 60-second TV spot during the return of "American Idol" on Fox, including video clips created by eight bloggers. Supporting the ad is a sweepstakes on a Web site that pits the video clips from 16 bloggers against each other.

Agencies involved in the I Can't Believe It's Not Butter consumer generated media campaign include Mindshare Entertainment and the Zocalo Group.

Brand.net's True Video Guarantee gives customers a choice between streaming or a combination of streaming and display advertising, and promises a high-quality experience.

The privately held company has raised a total of $13 million in funding. Most recently, in 2008, it completed a Series-B round of funding worth $10 million. Led by Norwest Venture Partners with reinvestment from InterWest Partners, Brand/net used the investment to fund technology improvements.