It may have traditionally been seen as a top-of-funnel, awareness-raising medium – but Jay Wolff believes video ads can drive actual spending, too.
Wolff is CRO of KERV Interactive, an AI-powered video creative technology that creates shoppable and immersive experiences within any video content.
In this video interview with Beet.TV ahead of Beet Retreat in the Berkshires, Wolff explains why he wants to “collapse the funnel”.
The New Frontier: Active Attention
“Attention is the next frontier for us – active attention, understanding in video what consumers are actually interested in and optimizing off of those touch points,” Wolff says.
“We believe that video should work harder, be smarter, and we should collapse the funnel.”
To achieve this, KERV has developed an innovative technology that automates the process linking content and commerce. “We take a piece of video content and understand all of the objects within any scene down to what we call ‘more precise than the human eye’,” he explains.
Smarter Video Buying with AI
KERV’s offering extends beyond just a software solution, having positioned itself as an AI-driven media entity.
“We are anywhere and everywhere across the media landscape. We charge on CPMs, we have our own inventory that we tap into,” says Wolff.
“We want to power smarter video buying, more attention-based video buying, and we think that’s the future.”
Jay Wolff, SVP of Revenue & Partnerships at KERV, sat down with @Digiday to discuss the future of shoppable video and why it matters to marketers.
Read the full interview here: https://t.co/W3u63vCCdR pic.twitter.com/jufV4fnduL
— KERV Interactive (@KERVInteractive) July 19, 2022
NBCU Checkout: A Step Towards Shoppable Television
A recent partnership with NBCU showcases the potential of the approach.
“NBCU announced that they were getting into shoppable television,” Wolff recalls. “They’ve created NBCU Checkout as their checkout experience.
“And we are the automation behind connecting content and commerce, through their own infrastructure, which is NBCU Checkout,” Wolff shares.
Breakout Session Inside Look 👀 – Innovation
Brands can tap into livestream shopping, shoppable television, and retail media extension networks to reach new consumers, tell their stories, and stand out.
In partnership with @KERVInteractive & @ad_citrus pic.twitter.com/I9oARtDVPE
— NBCU Advertising & Partnerships (@NBCUTogether) February 9, 2023
Looking to the Future: The Beet Retreat
Wolff was speaking in Cannes ahead of Beet Retreat Berkshires 2023, a gathering of high-level media executives, will take place in the southern Berkshires town of Salisbury, Connecticut.
As KERV prepares to appear at the event, its focus is firmly on the future of video attention and commerce.
“We want to be the input that creates a shorter path to purchase,” Wolff says.
“We’re going to be talking about that, and about how automation can change that future and how AI can actually revolutionize the way that content is viewed, seen, and transacted on.”
