• by Gavin O'Malley  @mp_gavin, October 1, 2012

Backing one of its bolder ad models, AOL on Monday is expected to relaunch Project Devil with new features and closer integration with the company’s Pictela ad technology platform.
 
A new 300x1050 unit includes two applications that give brand marketers a larger high-def brand asset in the top module, while a smaller 300x600 unit features one large application.
 
With Project Devil 2, AOL is also pushing its Pictela Management Center, a content manager designed to simplify cross-platform ad serving.
 
“Our product strategy continues to focus on ad format and platform innovation, as well as category specific applications in this next phase of Project Devil,” said Sanjay Jain, Chief Technology Officer at Pictela. “We’ve realized each industry has very unique needs in branded display.”
 
As such, Jain and his colleagues created specific applications for marketers in unique categories.
 
AOL also added support for additional IAB Rising Stars display ad units, including the Filmstrip and Billboard.
 
Upon its debut in late 2010, AOL promised that Project Devil’s large-ad format with Web-page wide interactive panels would wow the industry. Without divulging adoption rates, AOL now says the model has delivered on its promise. Citing internal data, AOL reports that Project Devil units show an average interaction rate of 5.18%, and an average interaction time of 24 seconds.

Earlier this year, AOL CEO Tim Armstrong also credited “very strong” pricing for Project Devil -- and the company’s video offerings -- for bolstering ad revenue. In the second quarter, AOL said global ad revenue increased 6% to $337.8 million -- up from $319 million in 2011.
 
AOL debuted Pictela Enterprise earlier this year to give ad agencies a guided self-service interface to manage their clients’ brand assets and serve them directly into online display ads. As of today, all Pictela units are certified across all AOL’s owned-and-operated properties, and by some 30 partner publishers.