Havas, Mirriad, Vice in Video Advertising Pact

LONDON: Via a new pact with technology outfit Mirriad, clients of Havas Media Group can digitally integrate a brand into video content from leading producers, with a deal already in place with VICELAND.

Havas Media Group expects that its clients will spend $25 million on digitally inserting brands into inventory created by the partnership over the next 12 months. The first announced deal will see Havas’s Arena Media running a native in-video advertising campaign for its client Bushmills on VICELAND.

According to Havas and Mirriad, the pact allows for “new ways for brands to engage with and entertain ad-fatigued audiences and provides brands with a different way to build inventory and revenue across the content landscape.”

“Ad blocking is part of our world and we need to innovate and offer new solutions,” said Dominique Delport, the global managing director of Havas Media Group. “We must create, not defend. Mirriad’s technology combined with our programmatic and data capabilities means that brands can engage audiences by offering entertainment and value. As video continues to grow, this style of disruption will change the way we think about our industry. Instead of talking defensively about the threat of ad blocking we will celebrate the flourishing world of creative video content.”

“In today’s world, viewers have the option to never watch a commercial again,” says Mark Popkiewicz, Mirriad’s CEO.  “Mirriad technology ensures that viewers enjoy the content they love, while at the same time experiencing advertising that never disrupts from the viewing experience. Our technology digitally integrates brands in a truly organic way, perfectly marrying the right brand to the right premium video content—working seamlessly with the entire video advertising ecosystem to deliver ad units that retain the benefits of a traditional commercial. With Havas’s unique programmatic and data capabilities, we can ensure that the right integrations are delivered to the right audience. We are proud to work with Havas and Vice, two leading-edge companies who share our vision of the new advertising landscape.”

Oliver Laubscher, senior VP and head of business development at Vice, added, “Since its launch in February, VICELAND has been successfully experimenting with new ad formats and engaging with a unique audience on TV. Havas’s data and strategic capabilities coupled with Mirriad’s technology is a great tool to help VICELAND’s mission of creating an authentic advertising approach for our audience not just in the U.S. but all VICELAND territories.”