Virool is planning a new vertical video ad platform

Vertical video has been a controversial format with late adoption by the advertising industry. With the advent of Snapchat the scenario changed. Virool -a programmatic video distribution company- is planning to launch a vertical video unit called Vertical Reveal, an ad format that best matches up with the natural interaction between smartphones and consumption of videos. “We’re excited because in the last 18 months, Snapchat has been a lone wolf in this fight, but we now have the opportunity to really make this the new standard” said Virool CEO Alex Debelov. “So our vision is that over the next year, this will become something you will see everywhere, and that will provide a much better advertiser and user experience.” One of the first brands to sign on with Virool is DJI, a Chinese drone manufacturer that also recently started making handheld cameras. It will start running ads in the next few weeks, as Virool ramps up its vertical debut. Meanwhile, a European rollout is planned to coincide with the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in June. “We need to be in front of users in some way that’s not intrusive, it isn’t a banner, it isn’t boring” said Gabe Chan, Global Director of Digital Brands at DJI. “So vertical video seems like a very logical choice to us and to any advertiser in digital marketing now.”