• by Wayne Friedman , May 8, 2007

Major media companies are not prone to big pronouncements about online advertising, given the ongoing changes in the business. But NBC Universal decided to make the leap in one area--short-term clips that run two to five minutes in length.

Monday, during the IAB conference in New York, Peter Naylor, senior vice president Digital Media Sales, NBC Universal, told the conferees that NBC would standardize its length of advertising when it comes to short-form video.

Starting in July, NBC will only tack on one 15-second or less pre-roll spot for each clip. Naylor says there is a hodgepodge of advertising that runs before these clips--with one-third of its pre-roll spots being traditional 30-second spots, which he deems too long.

"We did some research with our users," he says. "Short-form clips deserve short-form ads."

Currently, networks' Internet businesses are loath to ask advertisers to change or create new TV creative advertising. They prefer to make it easier for marketers to get dual use from their creative, giving them the option to run one spot on traditional TV and on the Internet.

Whether it's a library of clips on NBC Unversal's site iVillage.com, two or three-minute recaps of prime-time shows or "Tonight" show host Jay Leno's comedy bits, all will start with one 15-second pre-roll commercial.

NBC will continue to offer 30-second pre-roll commercials for its long-form programming, its prime-time shows on its NBCrewind.com Web site.

In shows that run on the Net, NBC will also offer marketers one 30-second spot per traditional TV pod. For example, if there are five traditional commercial TV pods in "Heroes," NBC will run five 30-second commercials on its Internet airing, as well as a 30-second pre-roll spot.

Part of this announcement also has NBC Universal entering into agreements with several rich media companies to create the new online video ads. This includes user-directed playback of sponsors' video and "in-stream" gaming.

There has already been grumbling among critics and viewers about pre-roll spots, whatever the length. But one media agency executive said viewers should remember what the Internet brings to most network prime-time shows. "Viewers have no right to complain when you are getting great content for free," says Shari Anne Brill, vice president and director of programming services for Carat North America. "It's the cost of getting free content that wouldn't exist if not for advertising support."

While NBC is looking to standardize the Internet user experience with this announcement, Naylor said this just starts the conversation. "I don't think we are finished here," he said. "But we have to start somewhere."