Video ads have come to Instagram. Starting on Thursday and Friday, users will begin seeing advertisements from Activision, Lancome, Disney, the CW and Banana Republic, Instagram confirmed to NBC News. Not seeing them? That's not a mistake. As with Instagram's photo ads, which launched last fall, each one is targeted at a specific audience. Ads from L’Oreal will launch in a week or two, a company spokesperson said, with more expected in the future. The new video ads, which run for 15 seconds, will feature things like the protagonist from Disney's "Big Hero 6" snapping selfies and the CW's "Flash" zipping by an airplane. Four of the ads are viewable on Ad Week, which reports that Activision expects to reach 2 million people with its "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare" ad. Banana Republic even used some of Instagram's latest technology, Hyperlapse, to create a time-lapse view of the design process.
IN-DEPTH
- Order Up: Dinner-Kit Services Promise Instagram-Worthy Meals
- For Politicians, Instagram Is Cool, But Facebook Is Still King
- Instagram's Video Ads Are Finally Live, and Here Are 4 From Major Brands (Ad Week)