NEW YORK, NY--(Marketwire - June 2, 2009) - Tremor Media, the leading online video advertising network and provider of the Acudeo video monetization platform to over 900 websites, today released a suite of new interactive in-stream ad formats that enable non-linear viewing experiences inside the player. For the first time, the new ad formats allow advertisers to go beyond traditional pre-roll by presenting the viewer with options to view additional video content such as multiple TV ads, product reviews, tutorials, or long form branded content. The formats also support new creative approaches to in-stream video advertising including interactive games and non-linear storytelling. Proctor & Gamble, Universal Pictures, Microsoft, and Ubisoft have all participated in Tremor Media's beta test of the new formats.

Called vChoice, Tremor Media's new suite of in-stream ad formats deliver a menu of options during or after a short pre-roll teaser. The user-friendly vChoice formats invite audiences to engage in additional advertiser content, link to a web site, or continue to the publisher's content. For example an auto maker could use the format to present a short teaser video of a featured model, then present the viewer with several video choices such as 1) explore the entertainment system and view a demo of the DVD player; 2) watch a Consumer's Report video comparing this model to others in the same class; 3) watch a video on safe driving tips for teens if related to a model that is especially popular with younger drivers; and 4) Search the inventory and pricing of local dealers in the user's area. All of this can be experienced by the viewer inside of the player, without leaving the web site. Results of the beta test show triple digit lifts in established engagement metrics for pre-roll and rich media, including video completion rates, time spent, and click through rate.

Tremor Media is uniquely able to deliver these new formats with ease, reliability, and scale because of the technical integration they've achieved with Acudeo across hundreds of publishers in their in-stream ad network. With over 900 top tier sites in their network, Tremor Media is ranked first in premium video views according to comScore's Video Metrix Ad Focus report.

"VChoice is an important milestone in facilitating the evolution of video advertising from a linear one-way format which has been in place for the last 50 years, to a powerful interactive experience that lets users engage with a brand and empowers ad agencies to flex their creative muscles with the next generation of video ads delivered at scale," says Jason Glickman, CEO of Tremor Media.

"We were eager to participate in the vChoice beta because of the opportunity for creative innovation. Ignited believes strongly in engaging our audiences more deeply through online video and we have a trusted partnership with Tremor Media," says Dave Martin, VP of Digital Media at Ignited, the digital media planning agency for Universal Studios. "Frankly, we were blown away by the lift in engagement metrics and click through these new formats delivered."

The vChoice formats allow marketers to expand their creative options for online video advertising by supporting non-linear storytelling and a better format to leverage existing video assets. The new vChoice family of ad formats includes several specific creative solutions:

SHOWCASE Unit - This unit enables the advertiser to showcase multiple pieces of creative and allows the user to select viewing options. Examples:

Campaign Showcase (e.g. showcase 4 different 30 second ads for the same campaign). See demo

Product Showcase (e.g. showcase ads for 3 different types of cars, or product demos). See demo

Long Form Showcase (e.g. showcase long form video content that lives on the advertiser's web site, or branded content that lives on a destination site). See demo 1

STORYTELLING Unit - This unit allows advertisers to create and deliver stories that are told in chapters. The chapters can be linear or have alternate paths and endings where the user decides how they navigate through chapters in the story. This unit is ideal for branded entertainment shows with multiple episodes. Examples:

Linear, episodic and serialized (user decides how many episodes they view and in which order)

Non-linear, with alternate story paths (user decides how the story unfolds)

Tremor Media's vChoice ad formats deliver in-depth audience insights by combining Quantcast demographic and user interaction data that identifies viewers who "raised their hands" to engage further with a brand. This provides advertisers with insights into who is most interested in their products and valuable data for future media targeting, product development, and campaign optimization.

"The new vChoice creative formats provide instant data and insights in a way that has never before been possible. Our innovation in video advertising creative is the reason why Tremor Media is capturing even more market share in 2009 as dollars shift from TV to online," says Randy Kilgore, Chief Revenue Officer at Tremor Media. "These new formats dramatically improve engagement and we can report back to advertisers in near real time on which of the videos within the unit are performing best. Television research would require months of focus groups to reach these same conclusions."

Tremor Media's new ad formats were developed in collaboration with veteran creative director Alan Schulman who specializes in developing emerging media formats.

"We've known for a while that pre-rolls of repurposed TV spots don't leverage the full interactive potential of online video. Tremor Media's commitment to delivering the most innovative ad formats and providing alternative ways for creatives to construct brand narratives represents an enormous step forward for the industry," says Mr. Schulman.

Tremor Media (http://www.tremormedia.com) is the leader in online video, providing advertisers with in-banner and in-stream video advertising opportunities on top-tier publisher sites with a combined 137 million unique visitors per month. Our innovative video ad formats, sophisticated targeting, and industry leading measurement tools enable advertisers to deliver efficient, scalable, and engaging video campaigns with measurable impact. In addition, Tremor Media provides publishers with a full suite of products and services to monetize streaming video and maximize ROI. Tremor Media's full service solutions provide the tools for advertisers and publishers to unleash the potential of online video advertising as a powerful interactive medium.