US-based ad firm KlausTech has launched its multi-patented non-scrollable, time controlled advertising and content delivery platform, AdCastPlus in the UK.
Whatsonstage.com, the UK’s leading dedicated theatre website, which was acquired by Time Out Group in January, will be the first UK publisher to offer AdCastPlus and its new large ad formats to advertisers and agencies.
Advertisers will be able to target Whatsonstage.com visitors with high exposure rich media placements positioned at the top, bottom, or side margins of the page without interrupting their user journey.
KlausTech has formed a joint venture with Versatile Connections, a business accelerator founded by serial internet investors Mark Hindmarsh and Peter Jones, that specialises in assisting international companies build European operations as well as working with UK start-ups including Shomei and Ultra Knowledge.
The business will be recruiting a senior management team for the UK, including business development personnel focused on licensing the AdCastPlus platform to premium publishers and customer services and technical support staff.
Launched in 1996, Whatsonstage.com is the UK’s biggest dedicated theatre website, ranked as number one in the UK by Alexa and second by Hitwise amongst all performing arts websites. It comprises a listings database of over 5,500 performances nationwide, alongside theatre news, reviews, photos, interviews, blogs, ticket offers and competitions.
Commenting on the launch, Peter Jones, Joint Managing Director, Klaustech Europe explains, “Everyone in the internet industry, including the IAB, is talking about large formats, however many premium publishers have a lack of inventory. AdCastPlus offers advertisers the opportunity to reach consumers with really engaging advertising that can be scheduled in time slots, much like TV advertising. The adverts stay on the screen for the time specified by the advertiser even when a user scrolls up and down the page or navigates from page to page on the publisher’s website“
Mark Hindmarsh, Joint Managing Director, Klaustech Europe, adds, “Publishers recognise that AdCastPlus immediately provides them with premium, high value inventory which is 100% incremental, requiring little technical integration. They can also offer video-on-demand, (VOD), advertising across all pages of their website without having to embed an additional media player. Our research suggests there is significant budget available for VOD campaigns, especially when video can be positioned in context with quality editorial.”
Managing and Editorial Director of Whatsonstage.com Terri Paddock adds, “Visitors to Whatsonstage.com are avid theatregoers and arts lovers indulging their passion so this kind of sleek, high-impact advertising is a perfect way to attract their attention, without interrupting their immersive user experience. The new AdCastPlus formats take minimal site integration and effectively double the inventory we can offer to advertisers and their agencies. We are thrilled to be working with the team at KlausTech and to be using their technology as part of our commercial offering”
www.klaustech.com