A little over a year ago, Instagram said that its US-based users would begin seeing photo and video advertisements in the future. Photo ads rolled out shortly thereafter, but we never heard anything about video ads. Until now, that is.
Instagram video ads are now hitting users’ feeds, with the push expected to expand in the coming weeks. The 15-second clips will autoplay and, well, look like ads.
The clips are promoting Disney’s Big Hero 6 movie, Activision’s Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, CW’s Flash television show and Banana Republic clothing. The ads, save for the Call of Duty one, appear to be attempting to be Instagrammy; for example, the Banana Republic video is like a Hyperlapse clip and the Big Hero 6 ad focuses on two characters taking selfies.
Since Instagram said more than a year go that video ads were in the works, it’s not really a surprise to see them rolling out. Still, I’m sure that there’ll be more than a few Instagram users that’ll be less than pleased when the video ads begin appearing in their feeds, especially if they’re autoplay.
Have you ever viewed an Instagram ad? If so, what’d you think of it?
