SeeSaw's ad slots sell out to May

[khurramdar]

SeeSaw's ad slots sell out to May


Thursday, March 4 2010,

By Andrew Laughlin,


Video Initiatives, the firm tasked with selling advertising for SeeSaw, has reported that all ad slots on the video on-demand platform have sold out to May 2010.

Last December, the specialist online video advertising firm started selling ads on the web TV service ahead of its commercial launch on February 17.

The company has signed up 17 major advertisers so far, including Barclays Bank, Diageo, Microsoft, Sainsbury's, Santander and Ubisoft.

Commercials from all firms are being carried on the site via pre and mid-roll ads around free-to-view programming from UK broadcasters and independent production houses.

Following the end of the "launch period", all advertisers will be presented with a report compiled by Dres consulting and Continental Research indicating viewer profile data and VOD usage habits.

"The response from the advertising community to SeeSaw's proposition has been nothing short of phenomenal," said SeeSaw commercial director Matt Rennie.

"We're delighted with how Video Initiatives has launched the service. We set out with the aim of working with all major media agency groups and they've delivered, bringing on some of the biggest mainstream UK TV advertisers.

"We built the SeeSaw platform with both viewers and advertisers in mind and, together with the research we're planning in the coming weeks, we will further enhance the strong relationship we're creating between viewers, content providers and advertising partners."

Alan Greaney, chief executive of Media Initiatives Group (Video Initiatives' holding company), added: "The online video market offers an exciting new opportunity for brands to reach TV audiences online and the sell out proves the appeal of SeeSaw to advertisers.

"We are delighted to be able to work alongside the SeeSaw team and help create and develop the SeeSaw brand at this significant time for online television viewing."

Video Initiatives will now focus on selling ad slots for the summer period, along with developing "more targeted and genre-specific opportunities to be revealed in the coming months".

Yesterday, it was confirmed that SeeSaw has hired Neovia Financial to implement and manage a payment system for its forthcoming premium content service.