Mail Metro Media has launched launch vertical video infrastructure across its digital portfolio, in partnership with video commerce firm, Firework.

The vertical video technology suite launched on MailOnline’s and Metro’s desktop and mobile websites earlier this month, with functionality enabling it to be moved up or down the homepage depending on readers’ content appetite, availability, and breaking news across all channels.

Since its release, and following this year’s Oscar’s ceremony, MailOnline has gained over 8m video views in the UK alone, with the top performing story within that coverage being Rhianna’s powerful performance, which amassed view-through rates of 76 per cent.

Mail Metro Media has over 25m Facebook and Instagram followers, 15m Snap subscribers, and over 4.5m TikTok followers. The new vertical video format allows its commercial team to cross-promote with made-for-social teasers and content that enables brands to seamlessly integrate their social, UGC and shoppable commerce content into the leading breaking news carousels.

“We are constantly seeking and developing new ways for our audiences to engage with us,” said Lauren Dick, Executive Director of Media & Data Services at Mail Metro Media. “We’re excited to now bring them even better video experiences from our experts on all subjects, whilst creating innovative new opportunities for our advertising partners – not just to promote their video assets, but to offer seamless shopping functionality from these assets, at the very heart of the news our audience loves to engage with every single day.”

Commercial opportunities for the new vertical video commerce executions include single slide ads, bespoke video with brand integration and promotion, plus entire carousel takeovers, which can combine bespoke videos with interstitial ads.