With more channels to surf than ever before and the rising popularity of DVR technologies like TiVo, the classic 30-second television commercial is losing more and more value, and advertisers are looking for new solutions. Riding this trend, MirriAd, a London-based company that specializes in integrating brands into video content on TV and online, just snagged $3.5 million in second-round financing to help it extend its international reach.
MirriAd provides the services you probably think of when you hear the words product placament. Brands are added to videos after they are shot in the form of props, backdrops and signage. In one example on the company's website, a box of Rice Krispies is added digitally. In another, a picture of a monster truck is superimposed on a blank wall behind an actor. The company also helps its clients target specific audiences based on audience demographics.
In addition to existing investors London Seed Capital, Oxford Technology Management, South East Growth Fund and Seraphim Capital, the London-based company received a significant sum from new contributor Oxford Technology Enterprise Capital Fund.