French car maker Renault recently beta tested VerticalVue, a video ad format released by Dailymotion in December 2019. According to MediaPost, the manufacturer reported a significant completion rate for an ad they ran during the beta.
The beta resulted in a whopping 97% completion rate. According to MediaPost, “the side-by-side content and ad unit seem to create a tighter bond between the brand, consumer desire, and intent.”
Data gathered from the beta is used by Renault and its partner agency to analyze the impact of the vertical format. It has also aided the company in studying the engagement rates and determining the best marketing campaign strategies.
VerticalVue is a video ad format that allows viewers to see the content they are watching alongside an advertisement. The ads slide in from the right side, meaning, it will share the media player screen with the main content.
Another defining feature of this new format is that users can choose not to hear the audio for the advertisement. In order to turn on the audio, viewers need to hover the cursor on the ad.
According to Damien Prybis, head of digital trading at communications agency OMD Worldwide, the vertical format is “more impactful and less disruptive” for content watchers. He also said that ad placement offers numerous opportunities for brands and consumers. However, he noted that “it doesn’t necessarily mean ads will be effective.”
In its beta run, the automobile manufacturer ran a 6-second video advertisement for Renault Clio. The test was implemented through the Dailymotion inventory in France. It targeted desktop viewers in France back in June 2019.
Prybis mentioned that Renault’s new car Clio already has a fan base in Europe. However, the new ad format showed higher success rates than other types of advertisement placement.
Other strategies used by Renault during the beta includes linking other media for Clio. For example, clicking the link brings users to the television advertisement for the car.
Meanwhile, Dailymotion utilized its “Topics Targeting” tool to accurately determine contexts of the advertisement. This feature “enables advanced capabilities” including targeting over 500,000 topics to determine the most relevant videos.
A study conducted by Harris Interactive and Dailymotion, the company found that the VerticalVue captured the attention of 72% of the users while 69% deemed it less intrusive. A similar format is also being used by other companies such as Snapchat and Instagram Stories.
