GRD Google Fans

We’ve been fans of VideoEgg’s innovative ad solutions for a while now. See our earlier coverage here (and here, and here, and here.) But they’re not the only ones doing overlays, and this latest jab at Google is nothing more than a good marketing scheme.

While VideoEgg may have been early to actually offer in-video overlay ads, Brightcove, Pointroll, and Scanscout all do them too. Google’s using them is no surprise.

Layover ads were first spotted on YouTube in early July and the patents surrounding online video ads are so convoluted that VideoEgg would have a…

There is a great conversation going on over at Kfir Pravda’s blog in response to the question “Can Someone Please Create The HBO Of Online Video?” My thoughts on the topic are as follows.

The HBO of online can not be done until the content is so good and so well done that it trumps just about everything else. And to do this and promote it requires more money than just about everyone (other than NewSite) has.

Good content costs money and has a TV size audience. HBO has good content because they pay…

Apparently YouTube has decided that animated overlay ads are the way to go in online video, at least for now. Their solution: in-stream ads on the lower fifth of partner videos for a $20 CPM.

The ad format, (click on the screenshot above to see it in action) in an example that is very relevant - tying a trailer for the film Hairspray with a Ford Models hairstyling video - is pretty noninvasive, and a good first step, but how many partners will actually provide enough content and generate the views to…

Well sort of. In yesterday’s post we mentioned that Silverlight would need to begin showing off what it could do, and today with the intro of Tafiti, Microsoft showed the potential of Silverlight in the context of everyday use with search.

Following the addition of H.264 to Flash, Silverlight can no longer compete on quality of video codec alone. Rich internet applications built on top of these codecs can do very unique things and the ability to develop these will likely be a primary determinant of success.

The increase in interactivity and engagement…