Myvideorights, the company founded by Kelvin MacKenzie’s son Ashley to distribute video to websites on rightsholders’ behalf, says YouTube will now let it sell its own advertising around the clips it adds to the video site.
MVR launched last year, digitising and distributing video on behalf of clients including Hat Trick, ESPN (NYSE: DIS) and All3Media, aiming to take a percentage of revenue from any ads in clips on hosted destinations. But so far it’s been relying on ads sold in to its clips by YouTube itself.
Now, just as Channel 4 was in March allowed to sell its own inventory in to YouTube, Myvideorights says it will now sell its own ads there, including pre-rolls from Nissan, Activision (NSDQ: ATVI) and Renault. It’s a further clear sign YouTube is willing to open to its video partners’ commercial requests as it tries to make more from ad sales.
Google/YouTube EMEA partnerships head Patrick Walker actually invested in Myvideorights last year and sits on its board, but the companies told us he’s there in a non-executive capacity so this doesn’t suggest a formal link-up. Former Endemol creative director Peter Bazalgette and ex Carlton International MD Rupert Dilnott-Cooper also sit on the MVR board, along with MacKenzie