A campaign in Hong Kong for Knorr is making use of dynamic ad insertion technology on local OTT channel myTV SUPER that allows the Unilever-owned food ingredients brand to appear in popular video at scale without disrupting the viewing experience.

The in-video ad insertions – which appear on surfaces such as empty billboards – reach a potential audience of six million viewers in Hong Kong, according to PHD, the agency handling the campaign.

“The partnership [with myTV SUPER and Mirriad] facilitates the natural blend of content through an AI-based algorithm from Mirriad, capable of identifying the right moments and placement spots in myTV Super’s existing premium content,” the agency explained, in comments reported by Mumbrella Asia.

“This allows brands to reach local Hong Kong consumers at scale during pivotal moments of emotional engagement.”

Cecilia Tang, food director at Unilever Hong Kong and Taiwan, said such campaigns heralded a new era in multi-media execution. “This new technology provides advertisers with innovative solutions to drive brand awareness and strengthen ad recall in a highly-engaged context along the consumer journey,” she said.

Universal Music Group, the record label, was one of the first to take advantage of the technology, teaming up with Havas to give the agency’s clients the opportunity to advertise in videos by Universal artists.

The ability to insert brands into video footage after filming has taken place means that brands shown can vary depending on audience or region; the same video being watched by a viewer in the UK could contain completely different product placements to those seen by a viewer in China.

Mirriad claims that, based on research out of China, two thirds of viewers believe that such ads fit into the content, while almost three quarters believe the ads in context make the content more real.

“Native in video, an innovative new ad format, opens new revenue streams and opportunities for advertisers, allowing them to engage with audiences while maintaining the joys and delights of the content’s storyline,” said Benjamin Li, head of online advertising sales at myTV SUPER.

Sourced from Mumbrella Asia, Mirriad; additional content by WARC staff