Dublin-headquartered music-video site MUZU TV (Muzu.tv) has unveiled its premium ad format strategy and has already struck video syndication deals with a number of publishers including AOL Music, the Irish Independent, Bebo and Communicorp.
The publishers will have access to MUZU TV’s extensive music-video library and video player to power music videos on their sites, including editorial. The partnership will also include an advertising revenue share agreement through premium advertising formats.
The company says it has struck video syndication deals with a number of major publishers including: AOL Music; The Irish Independent; Communicorp; Spinner UK; Drowned In Sound; Telegraph Media Group; Bebo; Habbo Hotel; Virtual Festivals; Mama Group: Meanfiddler; and The Fly Magazine.
Recognition
Last week, MUZU TV was chosen by AlwaysOn as one of the 2010 OnMedia 100, as well as the overall winner of the digital publisher category.
These latest deals are significant to MUZU TV’s music industry partners, including the major and independent record labels, as they will drive revenue and promotional reach for their music-video libraries.
Muzu.tv traffic is growing at 20-30pc month on month and is serving more than 14 million music-related videos per month in the UK.
“We are focused on bringing to market premium and innovative advertising formats such as InSkin,” said MUZU TV founder and CEO Ciaran Bollard.
“This partnership coupled with our extensive reach through Muzu.tv and major publishers like AOL, Communicorp, The Irish Independent, The Telegraph and Samsung Internet TVs provides a compelling proposition for all our partners, brands, artists and labels alike.”
InSkin Media preferred partnership
MUZU TV also announced a global, preferred partnership music agreement with InSkin Media, who develop and deliver premium interactive online video ad formats, including InSkin, i-Roll and PageSkin. The deal enables any website that wants to use these premium InSkin advertising formats around music video to use the MUZU TV player.
“InSkin Media is delighted to further cement our close relationship with MUZU TV,” Hugo Drayton, CEO of InSkin Media, said.
“We have collaborated closely throughout 2009, developing the most effective and appropriate formats for advertisers, publishers and consumers. Our partnership with MUZU TV has been key to our growth this year and will be even more important as we grow our UK, US and European business in 2010.”
MUZU TV said market demand for this format has been exceptionally high, thanks to the consumer-friendly formats and extraordinarily high click-through-rates (CTRs), averaging more than 3pc, and going as high as 12pc on Muzu.tv and publisher partners sites. These formats are generating market-leading CPMs of €25, which is then shared with MUZU TV’s music industry partners.
MUZU TV has run recent InSkin campaigns both on Muzu.tv and publisher partner sites for major consumer brands, including: BT, Smirnoff; Specsavers, Windows 7, Samsung; Sony Ericsson, Peugeot and a variety of movie and gaming brands.
“Consistent with our premium video strategy, Warner Music UK continues to expand its distribution footprint, providing its roster of artists with a flexible and reliable means of marketing and monetising their music, across a wide range of online destinations,” Noel Penzer, director, business development, Warner Music Europe, explained.
“These latest innovative moves from MUZU TV will generate new opportunities both for advertisers and syndication partners, whilst creating additional content-rich connections between artist and fan,” Penzer said.
By John Kennedy
Photo: MUZU TV founder and CEO Ciaran Bollard
