Last Thursday IAB organised its’ first Video Advertising Congress in Kinepolis Brussels.
The audience of over 300 people indicated the high expectations of the marketing industry towards the new medium. Quality of the speeches was generally good. Let’s summarize some of the most important topics :
* Gilles Giudicelli of Havas Digital France presented results of an interesting study : “Online Video Advertising and Consumers 2.0″
(Especially interesting is the part about “how to adapt your TV ad before bringing it online” and the part about user “posture” ; or the importance of the context where you show your online video ad)
* Afterwards came Pieter Goiris of Boondoggle with nice international cases, some quite known but still nice to see them again. Examples :
- Very funny were the video formats for cosmetics brand Reversa,
- Who needs a desk of Vodafone UK,
- Or the well known Nokia great pockets and the Nike football chain contest.
I fully agree with the message he had along his long list of cases :
“Try to use online video as a social currency, to involve them and get them talking. And don’t think that good video content and especially the viral successes are cheap to produce.”
* Also interesting were the 2 advertisers who are active with their TV channel VW Escape TV and Vacature TV.
They really dared to share as well the negative sides of their projects with the audience.
- VW Escape TV is very satisfied with their 100.000 unique visitors but has a problem in getting people back, they have only 15.000 regular visitors.
They lack as well a bit of real interactivity, the video formats on itself are pure broadcast material. Big majority of their audience watches Escape TV in streaming, the other download possibilities (PSP and mobile are no success).
- Vacature TV has actually 15.000 viewers per programme. Ideal length per programme is 3′ and certainly not longer. Recently they decided to reduce broadcasts to a biweekly rhythm to avoid overkill. Continual advertising support around new programmes remains necessary to keep the audience active.
Most of the 17 sessions of this day were interesting, looking forward to the second edition.
