Opera Mediaworks today announced the launch of the Short Form Video Fund, a program devoted to answering the digital advertising industry’s need for a mobile-first approach to video creative. The Fund, supported by an alliance of top global brands and agencies, provides financial backing for the production and placement of mobile video campaigns in premium, in-app native video environments powered by Opera’s AdColony Instant-Play™ HD video technology.

“Video continues to be one of the biggest growth areas for mobile advertising and poses a huge opportunity for creative resonance, particularly in social and native environments. With the fund, brand partners and agencies alike can develop mobile-first campaigns, using video in a much more innovative way to increase the impact of their advertising with very little risk,” says Mark Slade, Managing Director, EMEA, Opera Mediaworks.

These campaigns must be less than 15 seconds in length and creatively designed for impact in an in-feed video environment. Opera Mediaworks will provide participating brands the option of receiving up to $10,000 for the creation of short form video ads plus $40,000 in media, or $50,000 in total media.

All Fund participants will work hand-in-hand with the Opera Mediaworks creative team to innovate campaigns according to established best practices for mobile video. Upon launch, the campaigns will be tracked, measured and evaluated for impact and effectiveness, and each campaign will be part of an industry-first research study for short form video on mobile.

In addition to funding the production and placement of mobile-first short form video creative assets for brands, the Short Form Video Fund works to elevate premium publishers across categories like entertainment, news, music and social which are taking advantage of AdColony’s feed-based, native video advertising in their mobile apps. The intent is to provide best-in-class, engaging and entertaining video for their users to foster a better app experience.

“Viewers consume mobile video very differently compared to other video channels, preferring shorter, less intrusive messaging that is easier to digest than traditional TV formats. That means the rules surrounding broadcast, pre-roll, and online channels don’t always apply, presenting a challenge for those investing in it,” says Robert Cootes, Commercial Director for Video, EMEA, Opera Mediaworks.

The Fund is one of the major video-focused initiatives stemming from Opera’s acquisition of AdColony in July 2014. AdColony’s proprietary Instant-Play™ HD video technology is fully integrated into Opera Mediaworks’ core mobile advertising platform, and together the combined companies are actively implementing AdColony-powered video products across their shared portfolio of advertiser and publisher offerings.

About Opera Mediaworks

Opera Mediaworks is the first mobile ad platform built for brands, delivering breakthrough marketing at scale. Our technology powers the biggest publishers in the world, enabling marketers to convey the highest quality ad experiences to more people in more places when it matters most. Our exclusive Instant-PlayTM HD video technology and award-winning rich media touches, engages and creates deep interaction with consumers in the most popular mobile apps and sites around the globe. We work with over 90% of the AdAge Top 100 advertisers and 18 of the top 25 global publishers. A fully-owned subsidiary of Opera Software, Opera Mediaworks is headquartered in San Mateo, California, with offices worldwide. To learn more, visit operamediaworks.com.