In An Industry First, A Directory Of Nets Selling VOD Ads Is Published

As part of a broader initiative to create some structure around one of the television industry most developed, but least utilized advertising opportunities, MPG’s Collaborative Alliance has published what is believed to be the first comprehensive directory of television networks currently accepting advertising on their video-on-demand content. The directory, which is being hosted by the American Association of Advertising Agencies, ad agency data processing firm Mediaocean, and TV audience measurement firm Rentrak, provides the most current view of which networks actually insert ads into their VOD programming.

The project, which was commissioned as part of a consulting agreement for Rentrak, provides the name of each of the nearly 200 networks listed, a description of the programming, and the genre of programming that they accept VOD ads in. That’s it. No coverage area estimates, descriptions of ad inventory loads, and certainly no audience estimates, trafficking information, or more sophisticated information required to create media plans and implement buys for TV advertising orders.

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As little as that seems, it is a crucial first step for the burgeoning ad-supported VOD marketplace, which is available in tens of millions of U.S. TV households, but has attracted a fraction of TV advertising budgets because of the complex, hyper-fragmented nature of the way it is distributed and sold.

“It’s a first iteration,” explains Mitch Oscar, executive vice president-televisual applications at MPG and the mastermind behind the agency’s Collaborative Alliance meetings and initiatives.

“Right now it’s just listings and genre groupings,” he says, which will at least give media planners the opportunity to know if they’re planning media buys for a demographic target such as children, which networks offer advertising on their VOD children’s programming.

Oscar says the goal is to update the directory quarterly, and to eventually layer in more detailed information, including contact information for people who planners and buyers can get more information for planning of buying each network’s VOD advertising avails.

“We think this is a good starting point,” Oscar says, adding that it will be up to the rest of the industry to determine how to make the information richer and more detailed.

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