Video monetization technology company, FreeWheel, announced its new PAVE initiative today that it says will “lead to fully integrated video solutions for major publishers.” Read the release.
Doug Knopper, co-founder and co-CEO of FreeWheel, spoke to AdExchanger.com.
AdExchanger.com: Why is PAVE necessary? How does this work with standardization efforts such as The Pool or VAST?
DK: The PAVE Initiative is about formalizing the 70+ systems integrations FreeWheel has built with these companies, and is about upholding industry standards for how technology works throughout the video ecosystem (players, ad networks, creative technology, etc.). It allows our mutual clients to instantly plug into our interconnected systems, reducing workload and operational friction. The IAB’s VAST standard is one of the criteria for being included in the PAVE Initiative, as our technology is fully VAST compliant (see our certifications here). The Pool is a research initiative led by VivaKi to help inform best practices based on user preferences.
How does PAVE benefit brand marketers? Does it speak to brand safety, for example?
The PAVE Initiative offers the greatest benefits to the clients that FreeWheel and our partners share in common. However, the easier we make it for the largest media companies and publishers to offer creative, compelling video products to advertisers, the more advertisers will be able to take advantage of telling branded video stories online and on television. If it’s easier for publishers to sell more creative video products, it’s more compelling for advertisers to buy – and the video spending pie grows for everyone.
What are your thoughts on an ad exchange for video? Given marketers predilection for buying audience, cherry picking that audience through an exchange would be attractive, no?
There will always be room for volume-based audience buying – video ad exchanges are one example of how advertisers and agencies can buy scaled audience segments. That said, brand experiences – the kind of brand experiences that agencies and advertisers seek from television – likely won’t be bought and sold on an exchange anytime soon.
By John Ebbert
