Innovid, Xumo offer ‘first addressable ad overlays on Net-based linear TV’

Video marketing platform Innovid has partnered with Over-the-Top (OTT) TV service Xumo to offer interactive video ads on top of internet-delivered TV programming.

The companies say this is the first fully addressable ad overlay on Net-based linear TV, opening up non-interrupting and contextual ads.

Xumo primarily delivers Net-delivered, ad-supported streaming TV through alliances with TV manufacturers.

For instance, it white-labels LG’s Channel Plus service, and it is available, under its own brand name, as a button on the remote control, on some Vizio TV sets. It offers over 135 channels, both video-on-demand and live, such as Fox Sports, Sports Illustrated and Funny or Die.

Xumo SVP Chris Hall told me that, for instance, a viewer of a sports channel might see an ad relating to that content or particular to the user’s location. Here are two screen shots of the same TV content, with different ad overlays:

He noted that subscribers to the service agree to share their location, IP address and similar non-personally-identifiable info, which can be used for the ad content or targeting. No subscriber info or viewing history is employed. Advertisers can also target ads for certain kinds of products, for specific locations.

Although the ad overlays are now being offered, they’ve not yet been deployed on any of Xumo’s channels. Hall said his company is now in negotiation for deploying the ads on several of the channels his company provides.

The ads will be available non-programmatically through direct sales, at least for now. An advertiser uploads the assets and compiles the ads on the Innovid platform, and then media buying is undertaken via Xumo’s platform or another demand-side platform.

At the end of last month, Innovid announced another step toward expanding the placement of video ads. It unveiled a joint effort with three providers of mobile app inventory to launch tags for the VAST video format that add measurement and various dynamic features.

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About The Author

Barry Levine

Barry Levine covers marketing technology for Third Door Media. Previously, he covered this space as a Senior Writer for VentureBeat, and he has written about these and other tech subjects for such publications as CMSWire and NewsFactor. He founded and led the web site/unit at PBS station Thirteen/WNET; worked as an online Senior Producer/writer for Viacom; created a successful interactive game, PLAY IT BY EAR: The First CD Game; founded and led an independent film showcase, CENTER SCREEN, based at Harvard and M.I.T.; and served over five years as a consultant to the M.I.T. Media Lab. You can find him at LinkedIn, and on Twitter at xBarryLevine.