Realizing half of its customers watch TV after it airs, Virgin Media Inc. (VMED) has announced an advertising trial that will enable the insertion of ads in real time, before and after video-on-demand (VoD) content.
The technology, provided by SeaChange Interanational Inc.'s (SEAC) AdPulse On Demand systems enables this, allowing campaigns to be kept up-to-date and specific to time of day or region, according to the VoD systems vendor.
Virgin Media’s trial will match ads to program genres, test a range of ad lengths, including single 30-second pre-rolls, consecutive pre-rolls and end rolls, and update campaigns weekly. The number of ads will be capped and there will be a limit on the volume of programs that will have ads placed around them, both at unspecified levels.
With VoD popularity soaring in the U.S. for those who can’t make appointment TV, operators have built and are fast expanding libraries of VoD content, including next-day replays of new show episodes.
But while some VoD system users have tried single-sponsor approaches, with shorter ads before, during and after TV shows, advertisers are still looking to better match ads with viewers. The SeaChange system gives operators the ability to change the ads based on a number of factors.
It’s a safe bet that the trial will give Virgin the power to experiment with a number of ad approaches and flexibility in campaign management.
Leading brands including Kellogg’s, John Lewis and Royal Mail, GM and BodyForm, will have their ads broadcast around selected on-demand programs from Virgin Media TV, Channel 4 and Warner TV. The three-month trial will take place across North London.
“Virgin Media has pioneered on-demand TV in the U.K. and we continue to innovate with new content, interactivity and functionality,” said Mark Schweitzer, chief commercial officer at Virgin Media, in prepared comments. “As consumer usage of on-demand continues to build, this trial will help us explore the best ways to reach a large and growing audience with engaging and relevant advertising.”
Virgin Media claims it is the U.K.’s leading on-demand TV service with 4600 hours of content. The company claims 50 percent of Virgin Media’s 3.5 million TV customers watch on-demand regularly.
The company recently reported that usage continues to grow, with 45 million views in August, up from 34 million views in January. This is an increase of 33 percent in less than a year and takes total views of on-demand content to 314 million this year.
