AOL Launches 'Ticker' Ads, New Video Player

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AOL's latest approach to advertising for its new video platform eschews pre-roll and mid-roll ads. Instead, new interactive video ads will come in the form of "video tickers" developed in conjunction with Gannett-owned rich media provider PointRoll.

AOL's video tickers are banners -- either video ads or interactive Flash units -- that appear at the bottom of the new AOL Video Player 10 seconds after the viewer begins watching a clip. If the viewer clicks the ad, the video is paused and the ad is expanded. If the viewer ignores the ad, the banner dissolves and leaves a branded text link. Click that link and the ticker comes back to life.

AOL plans to run the ticker ads across its video network.

According to AOL spokeswoman Dori Salcido, the company's Platform A ad network division has implemented the ticker ads on AOL Brands. She said AOL is now "looking to roll out to other sites" in AOL's network. Salcido would not say how much inventory AOL has on its sites and its partners' sites, explaining it's difficult to quantify the inventory "as capacity changes monthly."

AOL will not at first offer day parting or frequency capping. But Salcido said these alternatives could come in the near future. "We are not offering day parting or frequency capping at launch, but we hope to enable a wide array of targeting solutions in 2008 after we have additional insight into user interaction and product delivery," explained Salcido.

She said advertisers can buy the tickers against music videos, television clips and shows or news videos. AOL did not name early advertisers using the format.

AOL continues to sell pre-rolls. Salcido said the ticker ads "will appear on video streams not containing a pre-roll ad."

AOL's latest media player has a new user interface, and enables e-mail, bookmarking and related videos. It also provides for "multiple monetization options," according to AOL: In addition to the ticker ads, new ad inventory includes 300 x 250 interstitials and synched text ads.