AdMob is introducing a new service for iPhone that allows folks viewing videos to launch into related content, such as web, iTunes, and other videos through links along the bottom. This Interactive Video Ad Unit, of course, hinges on end-users actually sitting through video ads. Apps supported by these kinds of ads likely won’t last long if it takes any discernable amount of time or data to buffer the video before launching into the app proper, although a click-to-play option would leave some of that choice in the users’ hands. Podcasts preloaded with Video Ad Unit could potentially take advantage of the interactivity, since passive listeners might be looking for something to do anyway, and wouldn’t have to wait for videos to load up wirelessly. Mobile advertising is still a bit of a crap-shoot, but bringing multimedia into the mix may very well change that. Looking at how desktop YouTube videos have become monetized with iTunes links, it shouldn’t take long for AdMob to get this system in place for various mobile YouTube apps (since Google is a common owner).
[via AdMob]