• by Mark Walsh  @markfwal, September 28, 2010

Can the confusion around Web video ad models be solved? That's one of the goals of VivaKi's Pool initiative to come up with a standard video ad format that connects with users. At a video panel at OMMA Global Tuesday, VivaKi's Beth Doyle demonstrated the digital hub's ASq format that allows viewers to choose an ad from one of three advertisers. If someone doesn't choose and ad after 15 seconds, a default ad runs.

In testing, Doyle said after the fourth or fifth time, viewers choose an ad within 2 seconds and response rates are roughly 30% higher than traditional pre-roll ads. But moderator Corey Kronengold pointed out viewers in the send are still watching pre-roll ads. Doug Akin, AKQA's chief engagement officer, made the point that effective video ads still come back to compelling content. "I'm like, 'less buttons and more story and more impact and more emotions,'" he said. "So video becomes the main event, not the mechanics.