The New York Times will introduce a new advertising format called "Mobile Moment" on its smartphone app and mobile site starting in September, Ad Age reports. It aims for a more native exposure, integrated into the news feed, similar to what appears in feeds on Facebook and Twitter.
The new format divides the day into seven "Moments" (times), such as "Morning," "Lunchtime," and "End of the Day," based on user insights derived from 12 months of research by the paper's editorial product team. Ad presentation will vary according to viewing habits and editorial content during each moment. For instance, text-based ads will be used during early morning news coverage, while evening news segments—which also deliver news but incorporate more images and entertainment elements—will feature ads rich in images and video.
Ads will span the full width of the screen but only occupy 75% of the height. This allows the ads to be sufficiently prominent without giving users the feeling that viewing is being interrupted, as some of the articles above and below remain partially visible. Current banner ad formats and full-screen ads displayed between articles will be discontinued. Advertisers will select placement from among the seven moments, with each moment initially limited to one advertiser.
While the paper is advancing an editorial approach focused on mobile viewing, which is steadily growing, Chief Revenue Officer Meredith Levine states, "Ultimately, we aim to achieve uniformity in the composition of both editorial and advertising elements."
Source: Ad Age
New York Times Plans to Make Its Mobile Ads More Native, Less Interruptive
