In a recent post (Capturing the value of VideoAds), I talked about capturing the value of VideoAds.  I introduced the thesis that video display ads are different than regular display ads and much more effective both for advertisers and prospects. 

VideoAds running in-banner benefit prospects by:

- Creating a richer presentation that’s highly interactive and more informative

- Bring information TO the viewer rather than forcing them to click away

- Keeping viewers in control and letting them take action when they're ready

And for advertisers by:

- Providing more insight into how receptive viewers are to an advertiser’s message

- Working across the purchase funnel helping advertisers achieve brand awareness and purchase    
   intent goals or conversion related goals, e.g., email inquiries, or, yes, even click to a website when      the viewer is ready

Again, working with our publishing partners, we’re seeing the benefits of VideoAds for advertisers both large and small who focus on the local market. 

One of the world’s most recognized brands goes local

Case in Point: McDonald's wanted to drive awareness of the regional launch of McCafe and their new line of coffee drinks.   They launched a VideoAd campaign in the Detroit area repurposing seven of their television spots.  Viewers watched over 1100 minutes and on average each viewer watched over 80 percent of the VideoAd.

Download Ad-0406-fastfood_core

A local tourism bureau goes big with VideoAds

Case in Point: Sonoma Country Tourism is like a “little piece of Provence” and wanted to drive awareness of that fact by showcasing the epicurean delights on Sonoma.   They also wanted to drive action – clicks, calls, and inquiries.  In three weeks they generated over 1100 clicks with a 0.53 percent CTR.

Download Ad-0403-wl_tourism_core-1

A regional healthcare provider finds the perfect marketing medicine

Case in Point: The University of Washington Medicine and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, serves the northwest community but is more known for its trauma center and university medical school than the world-class specialty practices in areas like Brain Aneurysms and Heart Arrhythmias.  Using existing videos and turning them into VideoAds, they generated over 13,000 minutes of view over the 10-week campaign period.  The average length of each VideoAd was 2 minutes, yet viewers watched over 50 percent.

Download Ad-0422-uw_core

A Performing Arts Center has a command performance online

Case in Point: The Orange County Performing Arts Center (OCPAC) wanted to promote a series of events in rapid succession, get people excited, and drive ticket sales.  With events ranging from Stomp to CATs, OCPAC achieved an engagement rate that was 7X that of the click through rates regular display ads achieve.  The top performing event, Backyardigans, achieved an ER of almost 1.70 percent.

Download Ad-0403-performing_arts_core-1

Conclusion: These local advertisers understand that the display ad can do so much more than provide a click.  With video, display ads can drive brand awareness, purchase intent and lead customers down the purchase funnel to a sale but it all starts with getting viewers to engage with your message and become prospects.   The click isn’t dead in display ads,steve it just has lots more company.

We’ve been busy over the past few weeks getting some of our new clients’ online video marketing campaigns up and running. One of our new clients is Miller Condominium Marketing.  MCM provides high quality marketing and sales services to condominium buyers, sellers, and developers.  The folks at MCM have over 30 years of collective experience selling luxury and high quality condominiums, townhomes, and high-rise communities.

These guys are smart marketers.

The MCM Marketing team understands the vision of how online video marketing is a “game changing” technology marketing solution that changes the way real estate will be marketed in the future.  They want to be a driving force behind that change.  What excites them about our solution is not just the ability to attract buyers with high quality video presentation but the ability to measure every action that happens through the direct response and tracking built right into our VideoAd player.

Smart marketers, like MCM, know what matters most is getting measurable results.  They also know that great marketing is done with an integrated framework in mind.  In our first wave of work with MCM, we’re leveraging the great content that already exists for the properties they market, for example the luxurious Queen Anne High School Condominiums shown in the VideoAd above, and integrating them on both the MCM website and property sites (and soon to be in email campaigns and discovered in search).  The ability to centrally control the VideoAd, no matter where it’s displayed, to change promotional messages, or update it with more content gives them the ability to optimize them over time.

Integrated marketing leveraging video.  Measured performance.  Optimization over time.

That’s what smart marketers like MCM are doing.  And we’re honored to be working with them.