4A's, BlackArrow and Leading Media Companies Launch Industry-wide Research Initiative on the Effectiveness of VOD Advertising

NEW YORK, March 16, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The 4A's and BlackArrow, a leading worldwide provider of advanced advertising solutions for New Television platforms, together with multiple industry-leading media companies today unveiled the Advanced Advertising Media Project (AAMP) — a broad-scale research initiative that brings together media industry stakeholders to measure the impact of advanced advertising within free video on demand (VOD) television programming.  

This multiphase initiative will test, measure, analyze and compare consumer perceptions and responses to advertising within VOD versus traditional TV environments. AAMP will leverage the collective knowledge and expertise of advertisers, agencies, programmers and cable system operators to shape dynamic advertising strategies and measurement that can help the industry to accelerate the monetization of VOD content.

Participants in the AAMP program include companies such as the 4A's, A&E Television Networks, BlackArrow, CBS, Comcast, Digitas, Discovery Communications, Horizon Media, NDS and Rainbow Media, among others.

"As consumer viewing trends evolve, agencies are seeking clarification on how best to integrate numerous TV viewing platforms into their media buys and optimize value for advertisers," said Mike Donahue, executive vice president, 4A's. "By working together with industry leaders on the AAMP initiative, we will be able to gather and analyze data that supports research-based, strategic decisions around advanced VOD advertising."

In the first phase of the study, AAMP researchers completed in-depth interviews of more than 20 media industry thought leaders to secure a baseline understanding of industry perceptions and opportunities related to dynamic VOD advertising. Study results, to be announced shortly, will cover such topics as the current perceptions of TV; the future of advanced TV; barriers to advertising adoption within VOD; and the prioritization of requirements - by sector - of VOD advertising.

Phase Two will comprise a VOD media research lab to explore and validate consumers' experiences when engaging with advertising in simulated VOD and linear TV environments. Phase Three, an in-market test, will employ the collected media lab data as a basis for comparison with real-world results in a live, consumer trial.

"The advertising community clearly desires the mechanisms to deliver effective, relevant messages to on-demand viewers, but also needs to understand how technical potential and consumer usage will converge to create optimal business models," said Carl Fremont, Executive Vice-President, Global Media Director Digitas. "We strive at Digitas to deliver effective, relevant brand content to an audience that is increasingly becoming on-demand and interactive. Because AAMP explores a wide variety of VOD advertising variables, the initiative is uniquely designed to identify the obstacles and opportunities for brand content that are shaping new on-demand advertising models and measurement."

"As TV consumption continues to fragment across a myriad of platforms and devices, it's critical for key stakeholders in the New TV world to work together to develop new advertising business models that are sustainable in the long term," said Nick Troiano, president of BlackArrow. "AAMP is designed to take a global view of the critical short- and long-term needs of the major stakeholders, and to help the entire industry to prioritize the steps that need to be taken to achieve a broad-scale deployment of effective VOD advertising."

About AAMP

The Advanced Advertising Media Project (AAMP) is an industry-wide research initiative created to measure the effectiveness of advertising within on-demand television programs. The multistage project is comprised of three parts: an in-depth industry survey, a consumer VOD media research laboratory, and a live, in-market trial. AAMP participants include stakeholders from various disciplines around the industry, including 4A's, A&E Television Networks, BlackArrow, CBS, Comcast, Digitas, Discovery Communications, Horizon Media, NDS and Rainbow Media, among others. http://aamp.blackarrow.tv

About the 4A's

The 4A's is the national trade association of the advertising agency business. The 1,200 member agency offices it serves in the U.S. employ 65,000 people; offer a wide range of marketing communications services, and place 80 percent of all national advertising. The management-oriented association helps its members build their businesses, and acts as the industry's spokesperson with government, media, and the public sector. For more information, visit the 4A's Web site at http://www.aaaa.org

About BlackArrow, Inc.

BlackArrow is a leading worldwide provider of advanced advertising technology for New Television platforms. The company's multiplatform advertising system is designed specifically for video content distributed over any on-demand platform, enabling networks and content distributors to maximize advertising revenues. BlackArrow is privately held, and backed by Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO), Comcast Interactive Capital, Intel Capital (Nasdaq: INTC), Mayfield Fund, Motorola Ventures, NDS Group, LTD. and Polaris Venture Partners. The company has offices in New York City and San Jose, Calif. http://www.blackarrow.tv

SOURCE BlackArrow