Widget Ads and In-Game Advertising by Eva

Interesting news in the world of interactive ad content/widgets:

Clearpring is launching an ad network that will let companies deliver ads as widgets, in an integrated deal with DoubleClick and Mediaplex ad distribution services. These new widgets are designed to replace standard banner ads with interactive and exportable widget content.

As with all Clearspring widgets, the ads can be shared across networks. Clearspring is really taking what many brands hope to do with existing widget options and making them distinctly available for advertising placement on websites. So far, launch partners include Sony Pictures, CW Television Network, Comedy Central, DreamWorks and Warner Bros. Advertisers see these widget ads as a way to extend their time with the consumers. Instead of perpetually changing banner ads that can be fleeting depending on a particular website, widgets can be placed on a user’s on website or social network amongst the other content they already have.

And Google’s in-game advertising system is supposed to launch in December:

One of many Google’s acquisitions was a company called AdScape, which specialized in in-game advertising and was bought for $23 million in March of 2007. Later this month, rumors say, Google will put this asset to good use and launch their advertising system for games in two steps.

The first step will comprise of a beta test with a gaming startup called Bunchball Games. Google will embed 15-second video ads in some of Bunchball’s games, which are mostly casual affairs, and some are available as Facebook applications.