Jivox video ads get social and interactive

Video ad platform Jivox is the latest online ad companies t0 look beyond run-of-the-mill video commercials to offer something a little more interactive. The startup says it’s adding social and interactive features to its do-it-yourself ad creator.

There’s growing interest in creating web ads that don’t just replicate the television experience, and not just on PCs — last fall, AdMob launched the first interactive video ad unit for the iPhone. These kinds of ads will hopefully do a better job of grabbing viewers’ attention, spurring them to action, and collecting data about how viewers are interacting. Here’s one piece of evidence that this interactivity pays off: Video ad company ScanScout is experimenting with interactive ads that run before videos, and it says those ads are getting 350 percent more clickthroughs than standard ads in the same network.

Now, Jivox is offering interactive options to its customers. When someone is watching an ad created with Jivox, they might see a button giving them options for further interaction, including sharing on social networks. You can view sample ads for Round Table Pizza and for Express Clothing. Here are some other examples of the interactivity that the San Mateo, Calif. company supports:

• Taking a virtual home tour
• Seeing a Flash tour of a car interior and requesting a test-drive
• Displaying a map to find the closest store location
• Showing a series of video clips for a concert tour
• Participating in a trivia contest or quiz to win a discount
• Requesting a quote for an insurance policy or home loan.

In addition to adding the new features, Jivox announced that it’s being used by more than 30 media groups, including Gannett, McClatchy, and Media News Group, reaching a total of 85 million unique viewers each month. After launching its network in 2008, the company’s revenue grew 600 percent over the course of 2009.

Jivox has raised $10.7 million from Opus Capital and India-based Helion Venture Partners.