BurstMedia released results from a study which tried to get some conclusive data about online consumer behavior in regards to video content. The results show that consumers are interested in video content, but are not very willing to have their viewing interrupted by video advertisements. Most people view online video content to stay informed and to be entertained, and are mostly male in the 18-34 age span. They are weary of in-stream advertising, while many abandon viewing ad-fronted videos altogether. On the bright side, about 20% of the tested people (about 2600 of them) seemed to remember the advertising bits that interrupted them, but the rest simply ingnored advertising or abandoned the site in question. According to the study, it’s not surprising that the young age group is more receptive to in-stream advertising (about 38% found this form of advertisements more appealing than other standard creative units).

For advertising purposes, it seems that good ol’ viral brand or product promotional videos are still the best option. Embedded advertising in videos seems to be a bit too intrusive as things stand, so a careful approach is required on this one, if the advertising investment is to have any positive effect at all. But that will probably change, as the whole online video scheme, even though a few years old, is still growing and evolving.

See the whole study here along with charts and everything.

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