Sony Network Entertainment Europe and DataXu Push the Boundaries of Interactive Pre-Roll Video Advertising

BOSTON, MA and LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(Marketwired - Nov 13, 2013) - DataXu, a provider of programmatic marketing solutions for brands and agencies, today announced the addition of native support for Interactive Pre-roll to the DataXu Platform. With Interactive Pre-roll ads, advertisers can take advantage of their existing 15- or 30-second creatives to develop a video ad with a fully interactive brand experience for consumers. Now, with the efficiency and effectiveness of DataXu, brands can execute highly engaging campaigns via in-banner video, pre-roll video and interactive pre-roll video across multiple exchanges and countries with a single, transparent platform.

OMD International was the first agency to take advantage of this capability on behalf of Sony Network Entertainment Europe. As the first brand, Sony Network Entertainment Europe leveraged VPAID (Video Player-Ad Interface Definition) tags from Innovid to advertise the PlayStation store in the UK, France and Germany and developed targeting strategies using DataXu for Video to drive greater interactions and sales conversions.

"Interactive Pre-roll has grown rapidly and now represents at least 15 percent of the total digital ad spend globally. In more developed markets, such as the UK, France and Denmark, interactive video is becoming an essential engagement mechanism to keep brands front of mind. We are looking forward to working with DataXu and Innovid to create a tailor-made program of innovative formats with the excellence of DSP buying," said Ronak Patel, Associate Digital Director of OMD International.

"As a pan-European digital retail business, we needed a programmatic solution that went beyond pre-roll to deliver a highly engaging, immersive format with cost efficient buying," said James Reid, European Marketing Manager of Sony Network Entertainment Europe. "Working with DataXu, we created bespoke campaigns in multiple territories with strict commercial objectives. Aligning our advertising and localizing each creative was very significant in delivering a seamless brand experience from the ad unit to the market pages. DataXu's Interactive Pre-roll offering delivered a continual increase in user engagement and achieved sales with high average order values."

Online video continues to grow in popularity among both viewers and advertisers. According to Forrester Research, 70 percent of online adults in the U.S. say they have watched some form of online video content in the past month; as a result, advertisers are following the views. Forrester expects spending on all online video advertising to hit nearly $3.6 billion in 2013, increasing to $4.6 billion in 2014. Additionally, as the supply of video inventory begins to outpace demand, advertisers are increasingly relying on real-time bidding (RTB) and programmatic marketing for buying and delivering highly targeted, relevant video ads to online consumers.

"As a cross-channel platform, we are very excited by the addition of this capability," said Aaron Kechley, SVP products at DataXu. "Interactive Pre-roll, along with other rich media formats, provides a compelling reason for brand marketers to embrace programmatic marketing with DataXu for unmatched efficiency, flexibility and transparency. Combined with deep consumer insights, the DataXu Platform enables marketers to engage in a conversation with consumers throughout their multi-channel journeys."

For more information about DataXu's programmatic marketing platform, visit: http://www.dataxu.com/platform/overview/.

About DataXu
DataXu is transforming the way companies build their brands in a digital world through the industry's only fully integrated programmatic marketing solution. The DataXu Platform offers cloud based software that leverages data science to help enterprise marketers better understand and engage consumers throughout the buying journey, and optimally manage marketing investments for more efficient and effective customer acquisition strategies. With 11 offices in eight countries, DataXu services more than 700 brands across the globe. For more information, visit www.dataxu.com or follow us at twitter.com/dataxu.

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