LONDON — The industry is still not configured to easily producing online advertising that works across digital screens, a panel convened by Beet.TV agrees.

  • Unlike Scandinavia, where 90 percent of pre-roll ads last a mobile-friendly 12 to 15 seconds, most UK pre-rolls are dumped from existing 30-second TV spots, sports video firm Perform Group’s UK sales MD Jamie Wilson says: “That’s an area we need to work on. The creative needs to get better.”
  • Guardian revenue director Tim Gentry agrees: “If I’m watching The Guardian at the bus stop … do I really want to pay to see 30 seconds of advertising from a brand?” Gentry reports “lots of intelligent thinking but no significant answers” from the industry – so The Guardian has planned an advertising hack day to come up with better solutions.
  • Videology global TV strategy head Rhys McLachlan says demanding new formats from agencies so used to producing old-fashioned TV ads is “a bit tail-wagging-the-dog”, adding: We need to the prove ROI (of custom formats).”
  • But GroupM’s Xaxis UK MD Nicolas Bidon argues: “The creative is lagging behind when it comes to programmatic video. If we serve the same creative to this audience, we’re missing a trick.”

This video was recorded  at the Beet.TV programmatic video leadership summit sponsored by Videology, hosted by Xaxis at the London offices of GroupM.