Flipboard Brings Vertical Video Advertising To Its Platform

PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Flipboard launches a new edition of its Cinema Loop: the popular ad unit has a new design and now supports vertical video. As brands embrace the vertical format for mobile advertising, they look for more quality environments in which to run these ads. With today's launch, Flipboard offers advertisers a way to bring their vertical video ads to premium audiences in a relevant context while they're on their smartphones. Distribution company Bleecker Street is the first advertiser to launch a vertical video campaign on Flipboard, promoting "Anthropoid," a WWII film starring Cillian Murphy and Jamie Dornan that hits theaters on August 12.

The newly designed Cinema Loop product offers a full-screen experience and retains the same benefits of its predecessor: it combines the attention-getting aspects of autoplay video while respecting the consumer experience with user-initiated video. Cinema Loop allows advertisers to take the best three- to 10 second portion of their creative and play it in a .gif-like animation to gracefully entice users to watch the full video.

Brands already see high video completion rates with user-initiated video on Flipboard and the new ability for these videos to be vertical makes the new Cinema Loop even more effective. With the current version of Cinema Loop, brands already see 20 percent higher video completion rates (VCR) and engagement rates that are two times higher than industry benchmarks for user-initiated video. The new ability for these videos to be vertical makes the new Cinema Loop ads even more effective.  

Bleecker Street Campaign for Anthropoid  

Bleecker Street will be running vertical video ads with the new Cinema Loop for a campaign that starts August 4. The movie studio's agency PHD Worldwide created assets specifically for this campaign to promote the movie "Anthropoid" on Flipboard. Powered by Flipboard's proprietary Interest Graph technology, 15-second movie trailers will reach audiences based on interests such as politics, movies, entertainment and news.

"More and more video production is being filmed and edited for vertical viewing on mobile phones. This optimized mobile video production allows for easier viewing and higher engagement with mobile viewers. These vertical video assets now have a home on Flipboard," said Nicole McCormack, head of advertising strategy at Flipboard.

"We are excited to see Flipboard's new vertical video added to their mobile platform. Combined with the typically high engagement Flipboard sees for its user-initiated video products, I'm eager to see the results of this campaign," said Tyler Dinapoli, President of Marketing, Media and Research at Bleecker Street.

In addition to the typical 15- or 30-second spot, Cinema Loop supports longer form video. Flipboard is a platform where people dedicate time to dive deeper and spend focused attention and during these moments of "personal primetime" they are more receptive to messages from brands. This is further enhanced by the fact that users give permission to show content by tapping the play button on the Cinema Loop.

About Bleecker Street

Bleecker Street (bleeckerstreetmedia.com) is an independently financed U.S. film distribution company founded in 2014 by Andrew Karpen. The studio recently released the hit film, "Eye In The Sky," starring Helen Mirren; the Academy Award nominated "Trumbo," "I'll See You In My Dreams" with Blythe Danner, and the Golden Globe nominated "Danny Collins." The company currently has "Captain Fantastic," starring Viggo Mortensen, in theaters and is set to release "Denial" with Rachel Weisz on September 30.

About Flipboard

Flipboard gives people a single place to follow all of their interests. People use Flipboard to enjoy their favorite sources from around the world and then save stories, images, and videos into their own Flipboard magazines—sharing items that reflect their interests, express their perspectives, or are simply things they want to read later. Download Flipboard for free in any app store or visit www.flipboard.com

Examples of ads using Flipboard's new Cinema Loop with vertical video are available at http://flip.it/verticalvideoexamples

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SOURCE Flipboard

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