Orange Unveils Zap!

Orange has announced the launch of an ad-supported video magazine service on Orange World called ‘Zap!’ The new service will offer free video clips to all customers with a video-enabled 2G or 3G handset on both Pay As You Go and Pay Monthly contracts.
The service allows customers to access video clips for free in exchange for watching advertising before their chosen video. Zap! will feature celebrity, lifestyle, news and entertainment clips from broadcasters such as ITV, Sky, BBC Worldwide and ITN. Clips ranging from Little Britain to Soccer AM will be updated twice daily, giving Orange customers what the network calls “a great snacking selection of entertainment on the go”.
The ‘Zap!’ video magazine service will allow advertisers to buy mobile video pre- and post-roll ad spots, as well as companion banners that have been demographically targeted to make the experience more relevant for the consumer. The ads will also play out a set number of times per customer.   
Orange says that research it conducted recently identified that ad-funded content offers new ways of reaching audiences and the potential to generate new business models within the industry, as mobile media users are extremely favourable towards viewing ads in exchange for free content.
The service is being managed by IMP Media, while ads are being sold and served by Rhythm NewMedia, which has so far signed up Twentieth Century Fox, Wrigley’s, Barclaycard, Cisco, Nissan, Paramount movies and Heat magazine as advertisers.   
“It’s fantastic to be able to offer our customers video entertainment for free, while offering advertisers a unique opportunity to interact with a captive audience,” says Orange UK Head of Partnerships Services, Steve Wallage. “Orange has already seen success in ad-funded trials, and offering video services to our entire customer base is quite a step.”