The 2012 presidential election is already in full swing, and in early primary states that's meant a barrage of TV ads from well-funded candidates. But with viewer behaviors shifting away from traditional TV, the Internet has become an increasingly important way of reaching voters. And with online video usage surging, the latest battleground is how to leverage this new medium to their advantage. Enter the new "Jivox Political Ad Kit," an interactive, multi-screen, social media-enabled product from video ad technology provider Jivox.

With the kit, politicians are able to go beyond a simple in-stream or in-page video ad. Rather, the kit allows the original video to be a jumping off point to other short or longer-form videos on specific issues that can be customized to what's hot at any given point in the race. Social media widgets are featured prominently, allowing visitors to share the videos on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and YouTube or via email, and also to follow the candidate on these networks. There's also the ability to request more information or solicit donations. Importantly the ad kit can be deployed across other devices such as iPads and iPhones as well. And a full analytics package is available for real-time performance tracking.

As the election year heats up, I expect that all of us are going to be seeing more political video ads online than ever. Just as brands and agencies are learning how to complement their traditional TV ad buys with online video ads, political campaigns will as well.