AdMob Launches Interactive Ads for iPhone Video


Google’s new mobile marketing child, AdMob, announced today the launch of a new video ad unit with real-time interactivity for the iPhone. The company claims its ad unit will be the first to bring “true interactivity to mobile video advertising,” using in-player actions that allow consumers to browse Web sites, view additional videos and more all while the video is playing.

AdMob already has a slew of iPhone ad units including “Multi-Panel Banner,” “Scrolling Canvas,” and search. Their latest addition, real-time video, will start running ads this week in select applications across AdMob’s iPhone ad network that reached more than 20 million unique iPhones and iPod touch devices worldwide in 2009.

The “new interactive Video Ad Unit brings together consumers’ love of watching videos on their mobile device with advertisers’ goal of providing an interactive, social experience for consumers,” said Omar Hamoui, Founder and CEO of AdMob, in a statement.

Of course, AdMob isn’t alone in trying to engage consumers through mobile video advertising. Companies like MobiTV, Transpera, MyWaves, Nexage and others are exploring mobile video ads, however AdMob’s added real-time interactivity in iPhone video will shake things up a bit, and might make existing options of pre-roll mobile ads and branded video channels seem less appealing for certain brand advertisers.