Vertical video ads now available programmatically from Virool and Rubicon Project

Vertical Reveal video ad unit from Virool available via Rubicon Project

With more video being created for vertical viewing (in large part thanks to Snapchat), video distribution platform Virool is launching a mobile vertical video ad unit. Called Video Reveal, the units appear dynamically inline within editorial content on mobile devices, including iOS and Android. The company claims it is the first vertical mobile video ad available via programmatic.

Video Reveal ads are sold with 100 percent guaranteed viewability. The ads pause when less than 50 percent of the pixels are in view. The units also include social sharing icons, and advertisers can customize calls to action and end cards in the video ads. Above is an example of a Video Reveal ad from drone maker DJI.

“We live in a world where content is being consumed on a vertical screen, particularly among millennials whose first digital language is mobile,” said Alex Debelov, CEO of Virool. “Vertical Reveal from Virool is the next adaptation of outstream, bringing brands closer than ever to their audience.”

The ads auto-play on mute when users scroll down to view more than half of the ad. They can click on the ad to start the audio.

Publisher The Daily Dot is among the early testers of the Vertical Reveal unit. “In the past year, video has been a huge source of our incremental growth as the demand has surpassed what we have supply for,” said Mike Foley, Director of Programmatic at The Daily Dot in a statement. “With more than 60 percent of our site traffic coming from mobile web, we are always looking for new revenue sources and vertical video has the potential to become a big part of our video monetization strategy. We’re excited to begin testing the Vertical Reveal unit with Virool as the industry continues to adapt to vertical habits.”

Ad tech firm Rubicon Project will continue to be the exclusive programmatic provider of Virool’s ad units for advertisers and publishers, including all video advertising on desktop and mobile web.

“This new ad unit captures the excitement and innovation that is going on in video right now,” said John Peragine, Head of Video, Rubicon Project. “Marketers are always looking for new ways to leverage the emotional engagement and performance that video delivers, and this unit achieves that in a way that nothing before it has.”