Dive Brief:
- Mic tested a custom Facebook ad format that overlaid a banner ad on video content for less than five seconds, but Facebook had the format and test end after a couple of weeks.
- The publisher's ads featured Airbnb and Hulu as the paying brands, according the Wall Street Journal.
- Facebook has been promoting video on its platform, but it has also made it clear that it values user experience. Given how swiftly this test was ended could indicate Facebook’s internal metrics may have found users didn’t take to it well.
Dive Insight:
On Facebook’s end of things, it has stated that it’s in an ongoing process of reworking its stance on branded content. For publishers and marketers, this instance with Mic's ads should serve notice that Facebook owns its rulebook and access to its 1.65 billion monthly active users.
“Branded content is a broad term in the media world. We knew that our recently updated Branded Content Policy would evolve through discussions with publishers and advertisers, and as people started to discover and engage with the content,” Facebook said in a statement.
Maybe the broader message for marketers from Facebook is try, but know that the social network's policies are evolving and at any point your tactic may get shut down.
"We want to ensure that our policies are workable and encouraging when it comes to publishers and advertisers putting great content in front of people on Facebook," the same statement read. We’re still in the early stages, but we remain committed to building a sustainable and healthy ecosystem for publishers, and we appreciate continued feedback with this new format on Facebook."