Blinkx Launches Un-roll Online Video Advertising Unit

Video search provider blinkx has announced the launch of a new online video ad unit today named "Un-roll". Blinkx explains how the Un-roll unit works: a "branded curtain" loads first while the video buffers. After the curtain opens, an overlay launches while the video plays. All typical video advertising options are available inside the video window and the video ends with the curtain again. The video window also includes a full area for advertising text. I’ve embedded two screenshots below that display what the ad unit looks like.

Shell Oil is the first brand to work with Blinkx on the Un-roll format. The company says this new online video advertising format will be more popular with consumers because there’s no long pre-roll ad. When the curtain opens, a few pixels remain on the top of the video window. This seems a bit odd – you can click on the area and go to the advertiser but I think a better interaction would be for the video to stop and the curtain ad to fully return first.

I think it’s great to see online video companies trying different options for video advertising. In other Blinkx news, they recently put in an offer to acquire MIVA.