Commentary

Big Players, Make Your Move

I can't express my joy enough at the huge move DoubleClick made last week in the acquisition of Klipmart. I've ranted enough about the importance of metrics as the key seller of online video as a part of the media mix--not just for being accountable to the investors, but to prove the value to those still on the fence. This applies to all media in my mind--VOD, mobile, podcasting, you name it. If you can't prove it worked at the end of the campaign, it's twice as hard to keep it in the media mix for next year. Not only does this major move support that notion, but it also takes a huge step toward simplifying the total process of integrating online video into the total interactive plan.

I must mention that there are many other tracking/adserving companies actively pursuing this solution as well, Atlas is creating its own solution and attempting VOD tracking as well, MediaPlex and EyeWonder have struck up a relationship, and a variety of other companies are also coming up with their own answers.

I am, however, going to offer a few suggestions on what we should expect next from all the players in this market. What, you thought you were done?

  • Master the video tracking space and make it truly turnkey. Standard online media adserving and tracking has become a day-to-day process that agency traffic groups can control and manage, and publishers can easily integrate. The end result should be online video that feels the same. There is no room for in-stream tracking that kinda works.

  • Prove the worth to publishers, and make it easy for them to incorporate. Agency folks and advertisers get it --we want more metrics and we want them easy to access and in the same format.

  • Embrace all the metrics. It's not enough to get delivery numbers. We want it all, and then some. Impressions, clicks, view-through, reach, frequency, time spent, actions... it should all be standard. Now what else can we measure that will help to prove the value?

  • Address the next realm, whatever it may be. In-stream video was mainstream before we really started agonizing over how to measure and track it. You want to be a leader in data? Create the measurement solution before advertisers are salivating for it. VOD, mobile, podcasting, game integration--they all need solid, integrated tracking solutions. What about the video solutions that could explode? GPS, airline video, interactive consoles at drugstores... if it's connected to a network, there is data to capture and analyze, so why wait?

    I know my "it's never good enough" attitude can sound negative, and I want to make sure to stand back and commend the people who are smart enough to build the technologies to make this possible. But no breaks, folks. What's next?

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