Version française
Following the success with the trial carried out with Citroën in November 2008 across 100,000 French households, Orange is now launching its interactive TV advertising service. For the first time in France, interactive advertising campaigns are broadcast to all Orange TV customers , representing more than 2 million households.
With this new, innovative area for advertisers to convey their message, advertising campaigns use interactive banners superimposed on the screen during advertising spots. The various formats enable viewers to go directly onto the advertiser’s dedicated website via their television sets: this new form of advertising presence is called “Showcase” or “DAL” (Dedicated Advertiser Location).
Viewers can then simply click on their Orange set top box to access a mini interactive site dedicated to the advertiser, featuring additional product information: product presentation, photos and videos (demonstrations and interviews). Viewers can also ask to be contacted, request documentation, book a vehicle test drive and obtain a list of sales outlets.
Paul-François Fournier, Executive VP of Orange’s Audience and Advertising Activity, sums up his view as follows: “with this innovative technology, advertisers will have new opportunities to develop richer and more interactive forms of communication.”
Audience Tracking
To promote the interactive services available on its channels, particularly on Orange sport, Orange launched an interactive advertising campaign last summer. The campaign produced very positive results, with an average click rate of 2.54% on interactive spots.
So, for Paul-François Fournier, “at the time when advertisers are looking for more measurable and profitable forms of communication, interactive advertising indeed enables them to move from passive measurement to a completely new way of measuring the effectiveness of the TV medium, based not on the overall audience but on the viewer’s involvement, as it is the case for the web. To do this, Orange provides advertisers with not only the indicators they need to assess return on investment but also a great deal of qualitative information to better understand their customers’ expectations.”
He concludes: “the move from mass-market communication to personalised communication, thanks to interactive advertising on IPTV, enables advertisers to encourage viewers to create their own viewing experience with the brand. It’s a great step towards re-energising the TV advertising medium.”
Speculations…
Its too soon to say wether this service will take off. Lets address key issues that need investigation: ROI and client experience .
- Innovation triggers repeat trials especially on a free basis which may explain the clic rate. Once the novelty effect wears off, will the client continue to turn to his prefered advertiser? TV is, after all, a hassle-free moment.
- This medium will be integrated to the mast comm strategy. How will that measure in with revenus, what % of revenue will be engaged in this medium?
- Campaign results: what are or will be the most reliable metrics? Will clics be the reference ?
With only one advertiser sold to the idea, I fall in the trap of too-easy theories. We can however launch a discussion (unfortunately, #orangetv doesn’t show) pas)…Thxs for posting your ideas!
