• by Sara Guaglione , August 3, 2016

USA Today Network (USATN) is adding 360-degree video capabilities to its existing ad unit Gravity, in partnership with Club Med.

Daniel Bernard, chief product officer at USA Today Network, told Publishers Daily that their brand partners were interested in the 360-degree technology. It is a “natural extension,” bringing what USATN was already using in its editorial storytelling to its advertisers.

“We see 360 photography, video, VR and AR as interesting things that we can leverage to tell stories and connect with users, from both an advertising perspective and a content perspective,” he said.

USATN news apps all have a virtual reality section called “VR Stories," as well as a standalone virtual reality app that goes by the same name and both contain VR branded content.

Gravity ads launched as the world’s first IMAX-style ads on the Web in August 2014, according to the company, and have been performing well. In the second quarter of 2016, the unit performed with an 83% in-view rate and 60% interaction rate for ads that ran on desktop across the USATN, according to data from MOAT Analytics.

The Club Med takeover ad, developed in-house by the USATN product team, launched yesterday and tours viewers through Club Med’s Alpine ski resort, Club Med Val Thorens in France. It showcases accommodations, dining and amenities using 360-degree video that can be navigated by clicking and dragging. The unit lives on the “Travel” section of USA Today.

Bernard said 360-degree video lets users “see what it would like to be there, to envision yourself in that experience. It’s a greater resonance with the users and a deep engagement. It helps create a connection."

Brands can start to build on this relationship, he added. USATN found similar engagement and performance with its content.

The new Gravity 360 ad can be any length and play continuously through an auto-loop feature. A viewer "education box" appears the first time the viewer comes across the unit to help explain how to interact with the 360 ad.

The ad unit is available on desktop, but the team is currently working on bringing the unit to mobile in the future.