Video ad network BrightRoll relaunched this morning with a name change from PostRoller and now offers direct access to the ad insertion process for consumer video producers. The company’s technology serves up ads in multiple formats, monitors click throughs to determine which format is most effective and switches ad formats dynamically for the best results. Video publishers can choose to insert the most lucrative format, preroll ads, or allow BrightRoll to switch between video, banner or text post roll ads.
The primary implementation of BrightRoll is to help publishers monetize content that they were unable to sell ads against. The company says that there is far more video content online than there is ad coverage available. I went through the company’s ad insertion process and can confirm that it is very easy to do.
BrightRoll is also announcing that it has closed a series A round of funding, raising a total of $1 million from 9 angel investors and one institution, True Ventures. The angels include Jeff Clavier of SoftTechVC, Michael Tanne from Wink and Auren Hoffman, CEO of Rapleaf. The full list is available on the BrightRoll site.
BrightRoll’s technology is used to serve all of the pre and post roll ads on Metacafe and the company recently entered into a partnership with VideoEgg. The company launched in March and they are now live on 35 different sites.
BrightRoll is part of what seems to be a growing trend, web 2.0 service providers starting in the B2B space and branching out to serve consumers directly. See also our coverage of BrightCove and Rightmedia (disclosure: TC8 party sponsor), two companies that are similar in some ways.
BirghtRoll CEO Tod Sacerdoti previously worked at Plaxo where he was responsible for the company’s monetization strategy and was part of the deal that sent the Plaxo mailing widget to YouTube.
Today’s new direct to consumer offering from BrightRoll is largely targeting niche video sites around the web. When I asked whether online video wasn’t entirely dominated by a few large sites, CEO Tod Sacerdoti told me that there is a surprising number of niche video sites that see large amounts of traffic. He said that based on his observations of the space he believes there are hundreds of sites currently serving millions of video streams per day. Those niche sites can be particularly valuable to advertisers who want to “own a channel” for a short period of time before a product launch.
Sacerdoti says that there’s an industry belief that post roll ads are worthless because of abysmal conversion rates, but he says that on a large scale there is money to be made in post roll. He also believes it’s a good introduction to video publishers that may subsequently decide to use more lucrative preroll ads.
Automating the optimization of ad serving in remainder and consumer published video content sounds like a good strategy to me. Will the technology work well over time? Apparently it has so far, though that’s hard for me to judge directly. None the less, I think the ideas at work are smart. This sector is likely to become quite interesting as competition and innovation increase.
MAN….apparently there is some desire for people to work with VIDEO on the internet…strange…lol
cbmeeks
http://www.codershangout.com
As the video index increases expect to see more of these plays where the ads can play in all that video that people are uploading. The question I have is about quality. Banner ad networks can really junk up a web site, giving it a tawdry look. I am curious how these services will filter the ads so they are contextual and within the tolerance level of the viewer.
I still think metacafe has a way better program with it’s producer awards…
It would be nice if getting seed funding for your business was as easy as this. Input your variables, 30 second elevator pitch/website/demo/business plan/Business model/video of founders/contact information/Q&A + everything you have to offer investors in return for funding. e.g.
XYZ is looking to raise $XXX,XXX and we’re offering an ROI XX% (debt) , which will be paid back when we raise VC funding o….
These guys are Hacks!
Today, we are spending more time on the Web than in front of TVs. So it makes sense that advertiser are trying hook out when we are online.
Just ask yourself, “where are the eyeballs?” It’s not hard to understand why this model will most definitely be successful.
Useless site this is. It doesnt take comment. Why the hell is this site not accepting comment. Shutdown this site.
I saw these postroller ads on filecabi.net. I just noticed that after this video, “Jennifer Aniston Topless on the Beach?”, one of the two BrightRoll Advertisers that follow the video is “Countrywide Home Loans”. Mind you, the girl in the video is Topless.
The fact the BrightRoll allows “brand conscious” advertisers to be associated with porn (which drives most of the traffic within the online video industry) seems very problematic. These guys better clean up their act fast. Talk about great targeting and cutting edge technology; porn=home loans. Good Job BrightRoll. Your Stanford MBAs should have taught you some common sense.
http://www.filecabi.net/video/.....pless.html
wow!
Http://www.greendoorgifts.com
>Brady Teeters
>November 3rd, 2006 at 1:50 pm
>wow!
>Http://www.greendoor…..
hmmph
in context with the previous observation by Mr. John about BrightRoll allowing their ads to be associated with online porn, was Mr. Teeters making a “Behind the Green Door” reference? Otherwise I’m stumped.
Marshall & Mike,
Check out Noisely.com when you get a chance. They’re picking up your podcasts (TalkCrunch) from YouLoud. Wrote a little about it on my blog too.
I think Brady was simply contributing to the ever growing problem of Web 2.0 cyber spam.
This is a pretty sweet idea, one which is going to make Brightcove a lot of money. It will also help increase the quality of online videos as hobbyists attempt to make better videos to earn better income - and perhaps even become prosumers creating tv like content.
John , thats hardly porn you milker.
Hey Chris Sack,
Apparently you know Zero, Zip, Ziltch about the online advertising industry. If you don’t know what the hell you’re talking about, please don’t respond. This is taken directly from the terms and conditions from one of the ad networks that BrightRoll is screwing over.
“The content of Your Affiliate Website and Affiliate E-mails must not promote, advocate, facilitate or otherwise include any of the following:
Racial, ethnic, political, hate-mongering or otherwise objectionable content;
Investment, money-making opportunities or advice not permitted under law;
Violence or profanity;
Pornographic, obscene, sexually explicit or related content; ”
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that a pair of tits would be considered “obscene” and “Sexually explicit”
John,
So you think a girl with her boobs out walking down the beach is “obscene”?
When was the last time you went to your local beach?
Definition of obscene “disgusting to the senses : REPULSIVE”
Thats fine If you find it obscene, I guess that’s dependant person to person..
Either that is a slightly different term than what I orignally called you out on..
“Porn” which it is clearly not.
Sad times when a pair boobs at the beach is considered obscene and pornographic.
John I hope you always wear a tshirt at the beach because men have boobies too and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be considered obscene or pornographic.
We’re very happy with the Brightcove businessmodel, which matches ours, as well as the platform flexibility and the quality of the playback. For example, take a look at the TasteTV.com video highlights from the Los Angeles “Dressed to Kilt” event during Fashion Week (part of our food, wine, restaurant and lifestyle lineup):
http://link.brightcove.com/ser.....138226409/
(from Kevin at TasteTV.com, http://www.TasteTV.com)
We also are announcing a new CGM initiative this week, so check out PRNewswire for TasteTV. We feel comfortable because we know that the ads on the Brightcove service will match our content, not the risks you’ve pointed out above (esp. if we were an advertiser)