There's an adage that if you have to resort to violence you've already lost. The same logic is now being applied to pre-roll advertising, reports AdAge.
As online streaming video becomes more ubiquitous, online publishers are looking to connect with advertisers to monetize that content. Up until now there have been precious few alternatives to the pre-roll ads that mimic the TV commercial structure. But several companies have emerged that are seeking to do online video advertising differently.

Among the new approaches are Deep Focus's integration of a Dewar's sponsorship into the Onion New Network's videos and Videoegg's placing ads at the bottom of video players. Some are attempting to place contextual ads based on the video's content around that video in new and unexpected places. Others are creating video players that contain ads in the frame.

Some video publishers, such as ABC, have had success inserting traditional ad breaks in their online programming. Smaller video producers, though, are being innovative as they look for ways to make the ads as engaging as the content they're sponsoring.