Advanced Television

Microsoft cross-screen ads for UK

March 27, 2014

microsoftMicrosoft is launching its Video Network in the UK, which will allow advertisers to buy pre-roll video ads programmatically across its MSN content portal, along with 350 publishers that are part of the network.

Rival Google owns YouTube while AOL boasts web advertising platform Adap.tv, which this week launched a programmatic network. Microsoft is aiming for Microsoft Video Network, which is supported by Nielsen, comScore and in-house data to help with targeting ads, to be a compelling sell to advertisers and help it win market share.

The network launches in the UK, following its launch in the US, though Microsoft declined to name its publishing partners.

Owen Sagness, general manager of Microsoft Advertising & Online, UK, said: “Video is a hot topic and programmatic media trading is an area of massive growth for the industry. Over the past six years advertising budgets have significantly moved away from traditional TV and into online video, as audiences migrate to multiscreen and video on demand.

“With the supply and demand model driving efficiency and ROI for brands, automated buying will continue to become more important for advertisers looking to keep up with the consumers’ online behaviour day in, day out.”

While programmatic trading is well established in the digital display market, it is now growing fast in video. According to IHS, programmatic video ad buying across the UK, Spain, Germany, France and Italy is growing at an average of 77 per cent a year and will be worth €627 million by 2017.

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