Opera Mediaworks launches new rich-media platform for mobile video and voice advertising

- Platform powers JetBlue's "Air on the Side of Humanity" campaign voice ad units

SAN MATEO, Calif., Sept. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Opera Mediaworks, the world's largest mobile advertising platform, today announced a new suite of mobile advertising products that will help brands, advertisers and marketers reach out to and engage a vast smartphone and tablet audience. This will be enabled using video and voice – two of the most used features on mobile devices.

Advertisers now can seamlessly execute effective rich-media campaigns from start to finish through the Opera Mediaworks platform. Publishers gain access to these capabilities through the AdMarvel platform and SDK and advertisers can utilize these innovative ad units through Mobile Theory and 4th Screen Advertising.

The Opera Mediaworks platform serves 60+ billion ad impressions per month via 13,000 mobile sites and apps, reaching 400 million consumers a month globally.

Opera Mediaworks' new comprehensive mobile video and voice advertising offering includes:

Mediaworks VideoRich: Video ad units leverage the core AdMarvel SDK, the leading mobile ad server and ad exchange, to help advertisers offer interactive overlays to their mobile video campaigns, including social media integration or full rich-media overlays.

Mediaworks Voice: Voice ad units, with technology from Nuance Communications deemed Nuance Voice Ads, make use of the AdMarvel SDK to enable advertisers to interact with their customer through voice. Advertisers use pre-recorded scripts to "talk" to consumers and direct them toward different calls to action such as "Email me this deal" or "Share on Facebook".

Mediaworks Studio: A rich-media creative ad builder, that allows agencies to build precertified video creative and easily deliver it across ad networks. The creative ad builder will enable agencies and media buyers to successfully measure ad campaign effectiveness through reporting and analytics.

An incomparable list of demand sources that includes over 125 ad networks and DSPs (demand-side platforms), including Opera Mediaworks' premium ad networks Mobile Theory, 4th Screen Advertising and Opera Mediaworks Performance – the performance-based mobile ad network.

Opera Mediaworks' platform supports all the different ad units that run through demand networks and also adheres to VAST and MRAID mobile video standards. The platform has a diverse list of popular mobile publishers – among them 20 of the top 25 media companies around the world, including CBS, News Corp, MLB and Pandora.

JetBlue is the first national brand in the U.S. to use the voice ad units as part of its "Air on the Side of Humanity" campaign that launched last week. The airline is partnering with Mobile Theory, part of Opera Mediaworks, to launch mobile ads that will allow consumers to interact with the ad on their smartphones through voice.

"JetBlue always likes to use the latest innovation to connect with our existing and potential customers, and I think it is also what people expect from our brand," says Elizabeth Eelman, Manager, Advertising, JetBlue. "The voice ad unit is a fitting progression to further bring this unique campaign to life and encourage engagement with customers in a natural (and new) way."

Mobile video advertising is emerging worldwide, with eMarketer recently stating that U.S. mobile video ad spending is projected to be $518 million for 2013, reaching $2.7 billion in 2017. According to eMarketer, growth rates for mobile video ad spending will be far greater than for any other related channel (i.e. television, online or total digital).

Furthermore, the Opera Mediaworks State of Mobile Advertising report, released July 23, stated that, during Q2 2013, advertisers increasingly began to adapt relatively new, but highly effective, ad types including VAST interstitial (mobile video) units, which resulted in deeper engagement with consumers.

"As mobile display is poised to overtake mobile search, leading brands and agencies are focused on ad formats and creative that drive engagement," says Mahi de Silva, CEO, Opera Mediaworks. "Rich-media ad formats using video and audio ads have proven to have much higher engagement and conversion rates. Opera Mediaworks provides the most comprehensive platform, with quick and effective ways for brands to reach and engage their target audience."

Opera Mediaworks will be at Advertising Week in New York City from September 23 through September 27. To arrange a meeting, please contact Falguni Bhuta at falgunib [at] opera.com.