Interactive TV – Bringing TV Back
Interactive TV is definitely a channel to explore. While I still feel that online channels are the ones to invest a big percent of our efforts in, we may want to consider how we can incorporate Interactive TV in a way that is beneficial to us and consumers.
With the demand of online media, it is often speculated that it may be the end of media channels such as TV. That TV and commercials are not an area to invest advertising dollars and on their way out. It is true that commercials as they are becoming less effective. However with the introduction of Interactive TV, TV as a media is no longer becoming obsolete but re-invented.
Interactive TV brings us a means to see TV in a new way. Allowing the user to engage with the brand, helping with retaining the brand message. Studies show that when you engage the consumer in the brand longer, they will retain the message and have better success in recall.
In Interactive TV, you allow the user additional options when viewing a TV commercial. Rather than just watch the ad, they are prompted for additional options which may be to answer a quiz, play a game or be directed to another channel. All the commands allowing the use of their remote, requiring no additional software. We are able to engage them in the message and keep their attention longer.
Some companies are already starting to explore Interactive TV. In an article I read online for the Wall Street Journal (see links below), Burger King teamed up with Twilight: New Moon, where users can use their remotes to take a quiz testing their knowledge of the film. This was done through DirecTV in the U.S. Unilever, Charmin are also doing interactive ads. It is only a matter of time before the technology becomes common in Canadian television. Rogers, who offers Digital Boxes and HD TV, could have the capabilities to support the technology here in Canada.
After looking into some of the potential for Interactive TV and seeing some of the technology trends, it may be something to think about. When one looks at the success of YouTube, you can see that TV, Video, are not dying, they are just changing. We need to change with it.
Written by Christine Worrall
Below, are some resources related to Interactive TV.
Wall Street Journal Article
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703363704574503623115546590.html
Interactive TV News
http://www.itvt.com/about-us
Some of the top trends as showcased in CES 2010 (3D TV is one)
http://www.cesweb.org/news/releaseDetail.asp?id=11869
Interactive Ads – Letting the user take control
The future of ads are evolving. They are cooler, dynamic and interactive. Using software such as Flash, we have the opportunity to explore, new innovative ways to do ads. Add to this the knowledge we have of consumers, we can increase consumer engagement in the work we do for clients.
There are many opportunities we have with ads. Adding dynamic content, segmenting, however the one I want to explore in this write up is that of Animated Interactive Ads that engage consumers through gaming and user controlled movement. This can be allowing them to control the content of the ad, allow them to move products around, to play a game, anything that engages them in the ad and changes it from a visual piece to a means of entertainment.
I recently read a study called “High Recall and Low Recognition of Interactive Ads”. This study analyzes Highly Interactive Ads, Medium Animated and Static ads for recall and effectiveness. After doing the study, Interactive ads proved to have better recall, as the subjects retained more of the information in the ads. One can attribute this to the level of engagement they have. Think about it this way, when you are on a web site, you usually go on for a purpose. Ads can easily take second place as you navigate the site for the original purpose you came there for. Now add in an interactive ad that catches your attention. The user interacts with the ad, and now you have engaged them in the message for a longer period of time then if they had just noticed the ad at the corner of their eye.
To make an Interactive Ad effective there are a number of things one needs to consider.
- Is the method of interaction relevant to the message?
- Is it appropriate for the demographic?
- Does it display the brand?
- What are you asking them to do?
- Is it informative or actionable?
By creating ads that are more interactive and engaging, we can ensure better message retention to our consumers, as well as provide more innovative solutions to clients.
Written by Christine Worrall
Resources:
http://www.allacademic.com//meta/p_mla_apa_research_citation/1/1/2/9/8/pages112982/p112982-1.php
Facebook and Privacy Article
Yesterday I was reading Cosmo (not the place I expected to find articles relating to technology).
I came across an article on Privacy and Facebook, which made me really take a look at how I use Facebook.
The Article in the July issue of Cosmopolitan, titled “Read This Before You Go on Facebook Again“, touches on the privacy issues one should be aware of when using the Social networking tool.
Some things to be cautious of include:
Making your details public.
– This can include giving too much personal information about yourself to people that you don’t know well, such as address, phone number, DOB, etc.
Posting Pictures of yourself Partying
– A trend among employers lately is to look up potential or current employees on FB to see what they are like. Be careful of what you post. It’s your reputation.
Friend-ing Anyone
– “You wouldn’t let a stranger into your house and give them access to your personal things.” (Crain, p.148) With this in mind, why would you let a stranger have full access to your life on FB?
Updating Status to say where you are
– Many people don’t realize this, but by telling people that you are away for a week, etc might be an open invitation for those who don’t know you well to take advantage of the opportunity.
I know some of these things may seem like common sense, but some people don’t realize that you are posting all this public info about yourself to anyone with access to see.
I know once I read this article, I went into my facebook and changed my privacy setting for those friends from elementary school that I don’t even talk to anymore to make sure that they don’t know EVERY aspect of my life.
Just something to think about…