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AdMob Introduces Interactive Video Ads for iPhone

Tuesday November 17, 2009 7:52 am PST by Eric Slivka

Mobile advertising firm AdMob today announced that it is launching interactive video advertising for the iPhone and iPod touch. The ads, which will be available as either auto-play or click-to-play implementations, will begin appearing in a limited number of top App Store applications.

For the first time, mobile video is truly interactive as weve included customizable in-player action buttons enabling consumers to engage with Web content and more video content without leaving the video player. Advertisers can also include action buttons that open the app store and iTunes store to drive downloads of branded content. This ad unit helps advertisers and agencies extend their existing campaigns to mobile by using video assets created for other mediums and overlaying interactive elements in the highly measureable mobile environment. Advertisers can opt for action buttons that allow users to share video content with their friends or connect to social networking sites within the video player, making it easy to add a social media element to their campaigns.

Video ads will begin as soon as the user launches an application targeted by the ads and will include buttons that will allow the user to perform such functions as viewing related Web content, directly accesings the App Store for the product being advertised (when applicable), or viewing additional video content. Users may also skip the advertisements at any time to proceed to their desired iPhone application.


Google announced last week that it has agreed to acquire AdMob for $750 million in stock. In a follow-up story yesterday, it was reported that Apple had apparently also considered making an offer for the company in the weeks before Google's announcement.
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kdarling
Posted: 29 months ago
And so it begins. Yet another "wonderful" innovation that didn't exist in the smartphone world before now.

Ah well.

I wonder if apps that rely on this, will allow you to buy a premium version without ads?
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GeekOFComedy
Posted: 29 months ago
Can you disable advertisments while on 3G as over here ours is capped at 50mb a day for 99c before it goes like €1.50 a MB
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AppleMatt
Posted: 29 months ago
Oh for Pete's sake. Didn't they see the Zune videos? Why are they trying to cram advertising into every cm of space, every item/device. It just makes me resent it, and then I start avoiding the product as I link it with that resentment, even though it could be a perfectly good product!

If this gets added as an 'update' to applications I've already paid for I'll be pissed.

I use a combination of hosts files and Click2Flash to block adverts on my computer. I don't know how anyone can read a website whilst things are flashing, moving around, beeping, playing music, etc.

Horrific idea - watch/skip videos before you can use your apps. Dreadful.

AppleMatt
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m3coolpix
Posted: 29 months ago

And so it begins. Yet another "wonderful" innovation that didn't exist in the smartphone world before now.

Ah well.

I wonder if apps that rely on this, will allow you to buy a premium version without ads?


No kidding....I will not purchase an app that includes ads, no matter what kind of entertainment or functionality it may provide. If I purchase an app that somehow hid this 'feature' (like some do with the screenshots in the App Store), then it will get absolutely blasted in a review.

I barely want to 'trial' a free version of an app that includes ads....there's only a few that I put up with, and those are apps that add functionality missing from Apple (like SBSettings, Notifier, etc.).

Commercials are the #1 reason I have a TIVO for skipping them while time shifting TV programming.

I'm not going to put up with ads (any type) on a device I purchased and then continue to pay $$$ monthly in monthly services (and subsidy costs).

Either give me an option to purchase an app without ads, or do without my $, it's pretty simple.
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AppleMatt
Posted: 29 months ago
Has anyone watched the video example on their website? (turn your speakers down first, it's insanely loud).

The 'average user' starts the program, watches the advert, opens amazon (why not?) and then buys the advertised product in the iTunes store - i.e. before they've even used the program they just bought, they've bought another one and have been taken back to the home screen. What a ****ing great idea.

Unfortunately I cannot think of any words that would adequately describe how I feel about this. I feel very bad.

AppleMatt
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dejo
Posted: 29 months ago
Yeah, the auto-play option concerns me. And it is the advertiser, not the consumer, that gets to decide this.
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nwcs
Posted: 29 months ago
All I know is this: I won't be getting any apps that have advertising within them. And if it means I do without then I'll just write the app myself.
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m3coolpix
Posted: 29 months ago

Yeah, the auto-play option concerns me. And it is the advertiser, not the consumer, that gets to decide this.


Yeah, auto play means they 'auto' get their $ for showing the ad.

Same exact BS happens on many DVDs you buy nowadays. Can't even watch the friggen movie you just paid $$ for without watching all the stupid trailers that they include to try and sell you more.

Sorry, any type of 'forced' advertising on something I've already paid for (or continually pay for) is a pet peeve of mine.

I better unsubscribe to this thread......:eek::D
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dejo
Posted: 29 months ago

Yeah, auto play means they 'auto' get their $ for showing the ad.

Actually, advertisers pay money for ads to appear; they're not making money. As for the publishers, most of them don't get paid from AdMob ads just appearing; they get paid on the click-through of the ad (the difference between CPM and CPC).
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BrianMojo
Posted: 29 months ago
Just what iPhone apps needed -- pre-roll ads. (/sarcasm)

This is something that even the video world is trying to find an alternative to because it's so intrusive. Why would you introduce it to the smartphone realm?
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