The results of a scientific media trial by YuMe examining the impact and value of pre-roll, mid-roll, outstream and social video across multiple screens, including mobile and PC, found that pre-roll is distinctly the most preferred video ad formats

Compared to mid-roll and outstream, pre-roll is considered the least interruptive across devices, with only 17% of mobile device users feeling the ad interrupts the content, compared with 60% on outstream and 72% on mid-roll.

54% of consumers found pre-roll ads on mobile engaging, compared to 37% on outstream and 44% on mid-roll.

“We are big advocates of marketers using a mix of video formats and strategies to effectively reach target audiences, but it also comes as no surprise that pre-roll remains a dominant cornerstone in a multi-format approach. This artful balance of formats meets brand objectives while delivering memorable experiences for consumers,” said Michael Hudes, Chief Revenue Officer, YuMe. “Through this trial, we’ve been able to clearly outline and reveal the power and impact of video formats across devices. This type of data and insights will prove invaluable for brands continuing to innovate in this space.”

Other key findings From the YuMe research trial of 6,864 users:

Pre-Roll
Despite being less intrusive than mid-roll and outstream formats, it achieves the greatest break-through (ad recall).
Even with pre-roll being such a strong format, the multi-format exposure of a pre-roll ad followed by an outstream ad performs equally as well as 2 pre-roll exposures.

Mid-Roll
Consumers have mixed attitudes about mid-roll. It feels most intrusive, but consumers were less likely to want to close out the ad immediately compared to the newer outstream.
Mid-roll communicates brand messages particularly well on larger, more TV-like screens.
Mid-roll ranked higher in message recall for desktop viewers at 27%, compared to 8% for outstream.

Social Video
Social video offers a unique environment on mobile, allowing ads to feel the most integrated with the content.
67% of viewers agreed that social video did not disturb their browsing experience compared to 53% who agree for pre-roll.

Outstream
Outstream is rated much more positively among those who complete the video, indicating targeting is key.
When consumers complete the oustream video, they are about 3x more likely to remember the ad.