In-video advertising specialist Mirriad has struck a deal with music video platform Vevo, opening up a window of collaboration opportunities for brands and artists. Under the agreement, the two companies will work together to connect brands and premium programming across Vevo’s web, mobile and TV apps.
 

Mirriad uses technology to embed advertising into videos, such as specific logos in a shop window to completely changing the model of a car in the back of a shot, much similar to product placement but creating it digitally. As part of the new agreement with Vevo, Mirriad collaborated with Levi’s to create a billboard advertising the clothes manufacturer, and used this in the music video to Aloe Blacc’s The Man (scroll down to watch the video).

The technology aims to stop audiences from skipping an advert (the ‘skip generation’) and helps brands send a more subtle yet powerful form of advertising. It also marks Mirriad’s first foray into the online digital video space and the North American marketplace. It is the first time a music video distributor has used Mirriad’s in-video advertising technology.

Mark Popkiewicz, Mirriad’s CEO said: “Mirriad is disrupting the traditional barriers between content and advertising with an innovative solution that allows brands to very precisely integrate in a range of online video, in-context and with total transparency. We help marry top brands and quality content and deliver an entertaining experience to the ‘skip generation’ – those consumers whose viewing skips through many traditional ads and across multiple screens.”

“Mirriad allows us to continue bringing the industry forward and improve our fan’s experience by offering uninterrupted viewing while giving brands and content partners a native, creative, scalable and targeted way to come together,” commented Rio Caraeff, president and CEO of Vevo.

The announcement highlights the growth in branded content on TV, which has seen a raft of shows using branding as a major part of their programming: Sainsbury’s became the face of Channel 4’s What’s Cooking; Morissons got behind Ant and Dec, and Waitrose made its way in the title for Weekend Kitchen with Waitrose on Channel 4.

In other advertising news, Mitsubishi has returned to TV after a five year hiatus.