Michael Rosen is President of Oggifinogi, a rich media technology company.
AdExchanger.com: What’s the problem Oggifinogi is solving today?
MR: Brand marketers face a major obstacle when interested in buying exchanged-based media. We’ve addressed this obstacle with our Real Time Rich Media (RTRM) products. RTRM are the only rich media solutions that function within a real-time bidding environment. The technology natively supports the high technical demands of agency trading desks and exchanges, solving one of the major obstacles for brand marketers interested in buying exchange-based media.
In addition, the rich media market has been plagued by legacy technology, poor service and a slow reaction to market needs. Oggifinogi provides a cost effective solution together with a focus on complete creative development and laser-fast turnaround.
I know you’ve been there a short time, but how do you think OggiFinogi differentiates itself from others in the video ad platform tech space such as TubeMogul, Tremor Media, BrightRoll, etal.?
Combined with our expertise in rich media, video plays a significant role in defining Oggifinogi. In fact video ad platforms are working with Oggifinogi to provide higher-quality video for their clients; at lighter weights that can run within real-time bidding environments. Our goal is to continue to work with video ad platforms to use Oggifinogi’s technology to propel their video strategies.
In general, what’s wrong with video creative today? What improvements can be made?
Video quality and speed dramatically impact the user experience. Consumers don’t want to wait for video content (let along an advertisement) to load on the page. Oggifinogi’s video platform and transcoding provides world class playback experience. Users often note that the video is significantly better than that they see in the industry. Not only do we provide great quality video, but our platform delivers great flexibility with how many videos appear in units, how they appear, and the rapidity with which we can change them.
And with technology that can enable video ads to be bought over real-time bidding platforms, video creative can be seen why a wider swath of internet users, thus challenging creatives to innovate beyond re-purposed :15 and :30 spots. Furthermore, rich media allows users to have a higher level of interactivity with video creative such as providing immediate feedback on the brand and/or creative through social media such as Facebook and Twitter.
What are the key markets which OggiFinogi targets?
We are focused on working with marketers who buy audience-based media through advertising exchanges, demand side platforms, agency trading desks, ad networks and branded publishers. Therefore our outreach is to all of the above players.
What will OggiFinogi do with the new funds (see release) that the company just raised? Any key areas to grow such as “feet on the street”?
Oggifinogi is using the funding to expand its New York City office and engineering and creative talent. As far as our New York City office, we’re building a dynamic sales team to drive our RTRM efforts at the agency and brand level.
When do you expect the video ad space to take off? –I’m talking about grabbing those TV dollars.
There are tremendous opportunities for RTRM in both the video and display space. More and more players in the video space are evangelizing the benefits of moving broadcast dollars to online. And this evangelizing will continue. The measurement and insights gained through buying online video trumps those of broadcast. But only when there’s scale in video inventory, will the dollars start to flow. Enabling video advertising to be bought through exchanges is one of our key initiatives to help generate such scale.
You’ve been at Babelgum, WeatherBug, Bloomberg, News Corporation and Showtime Networks. How will these experiences inform the decisions and strategy you use in your new role?
As a branded publisher, I experienced firsthand the opportunities (and pain points) of growing audiences, responding to advanced technology, proving ROI and finding new revenue sources. Plus, I believe that powerful creative fuels audience interactivity. I now have the opportunity to help a wider footprint within the digital advertising space to efficiently marry powerful creative with proven products that grow audience and add revenue…while proving ROI for brand marketers.
Are you seeing other marketing channels such as online display or mobile merge with the video ad space? Or is still a silo’d marketing world online?
In certain instances, display is being merged with video. Publishers are always finding ways to leverage display by incorporating video into these units. Innovation will continue to blur the lines between display and video…all focused on the maximizing interaction and engagement.
What is the difference in responsibility in what you do (president) and what the CEO (Michael Hyman) does?
Michael Hyman is the co-founder and the technological brains behind Oggifinogi. In addition to leading the company as CEO, Michael will continue to develop market leading products, technology and analytics that are superior in performance, speed and creativity.
My role is developing the go-to-market strategy of the company and executing against that strategy. Basically, ensuring that that brand marketers, advertising exchanges, demand side platforms, agency trading desks, ad networks and branded publishers are all partnering with Oggifinogi.
A year from now, what milestones would you like to have seen OggiFinogi achieve?
Oggifinogi is the market leader in RTRM driving a significant portion of rich media through real-time bidding platforms.
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