• by Tyler Loechner  @mp_tyler, October 21, 2013

Online video ad exchange LiveRail on Monday announced that publishers can now unzip their video ad "pods" and make each individual ad within the pod available for real-time bidding (RTB).

Pods are a sequenced group of ads — like a traditional TV commercial break — rather than a single pre- or mid-roll video ad, a LiveRail representative explained to RTM Daily.

The rep added, "The few publishers that are using ad pods right now are those with long form content, however these ads are typically stitched together or pre-determined via a direct sold campaign. [Now] each ad within the pod is auctioned in real-time."

The new technology also has specific "ad decisioning" for each auction to avoid competitive brands from showing ads within the same pod, the rep said. This is done in part to give users a TV-like experience.

Mark Trefgarne, CEO of LiveRail, argues that opening the pods up for RTB will also add a TV-like element to the buying and selling process because the auction will be influenced by where the individual ad falls within the pod. He said he believes that pre-determined pods are not currently sold on ad position.

"The methodology and technology on the back end is of course totally different to the way TV works, but the end result is to generate something that 'looks' like TV," said Trefgarne.

LiveRail claims to be the first to offer publishers RTB-based pod management.