Fox Leverages Live Snapcode Activation To Drive Viewer Engagement

What Happened
During last night’s live broadcast of the remake of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Fox placed three Snapcodes as bumpers between ads and the broadcast. For the uninitiated, Snapcodes are essentially QR codes made by Snapchat that people can scan using the app. Viewers were invited to scan the Snapcodes on their TV to unlock special Rocky Horror-themed selfie Lenses on Snapchat. This marks the first time a TV network has incorporated Snapcodes into a live broadcast.

What Brands Should Do
One reason Fox decided to put Snapcodes in its live broadcast is that it wants to engage the significant number of Millennials who are going to midnight shows of the original Rocky Horror movie and watched the trailer for its remake according to its research. This activation sets a precedent for TV networks using Snapcodes to make their broadcast more interactive and engaging, opening the door for more brands to use Snapcodes for their own TV ads.

 


Source: AdWeek

Hulu Announces New Interactive Ads At NewFronts

What Happened
Hulu is expanding its interactive ads to target viewers watching in their living rooms, as the ad-supported streaming service announced a series of new ad deals at its NewFronts event on Wednesday morning. The company is working with BrightLine, an interactive advertising firm, to bring interactive ads to connected TV devices, including Roku set-top boxes or PlayStations, this summer. The new ads will enable living room viewers to click on an ad using their remote to learn more details about a particular brand, just like they would with the clickable ads that Hulu already serves on the desktop web.

Besides bringing interactive ads into the living room, Hulu is upping its ad measurement game by incorporating Nielsen’s digital ad ratings to its campaign reports. It is also teaming up with market research firm Millward Brown to offer brands more insights for their ads and will be working with our sibling agency Magna Global on that initiative as well.

What Brands Need To Do
With more and more viewers abandoning linear TV viewing in favor of on-demand viewing enabled by streaming services like Hulu, it is imperative that brands follow the eyeballs. According to Hulu, 70% of its content views now occurs on connected TV devices, whereas only 15% happens on the desktop. Therefore, it makes perfect sense for Hulu to extend its interactive ad unit to the living room. For brands, this extension, along with the improved measurement, should be helpful for reaching and engaging a big part of Hulu’s audience.

To read more on how brands can deal with the shift toward SVOD platforms, please check out the Appified TV section in our Outlook 2016.

 


Source: AdWeek

Interactive Video Ads Are Coming To Facebook And Instagram

What Happened
Soon brands will be able to engage Facebook and Instagram users with interactive video ads thanks to a beta program launched by video marketing firm Innovid today. British tea and coffee brand Taylors of Harrogate ran a campaign last December to test the format on Facebook with some positive results. The 30-second video ad invited desktop viewers to tap on an embedded button to pull up an overlaid window where they could take a branded quiz, purchase featured products, and sign up for newsletters. Mobile viewers will be able to click on the videos to open a webpage where they can enjoy the same interactive experience.

What Brands Need To Do
According to research by the IAB, interactive video ads drive higher brand lift than non-interactive ones and boast an 8% lift in purchase intent. Similarly, a 2015 study from Innovid which measured global impressions delivered to desktop browsers via its platform in 2014, also found that interactive video ads outperformed standard pre-rolls across almost all metrics. By making its interactive video ads compatible with Facebook and Instagram videos, Innovid is opening up new opportunities for brands to more effectively engage with consumers on social media. Brands should consider trying out this new format to step up their video ad game and move consumers down the sales funnel.

 


Source: AdWeek

How Coke Zero Added Value To Its TV Ads Using Shazam

What Happened
Coca-Cola launched a new campaign for Coke Zero that employs tune-identifying and mobile discovery app Shazam to add interactivity to its TV ads, which feature well-known ESPN personalities asking viewers to use the Shazam app during the ads to instantly receive a digital coupon for a free 20-ounce bottle, redeemable at select stores such as 7-Eleven, QuickTrip, Speedway and Domino’s.

What Brands Should Do
With its audio-detecting and redirecting capabilities, Shazam could serve as a bridge between the primary screen and the second screens. This new Coke Zero campaign marks the first time a brand offers real value to its audience with digital coupons via Shazam, whereas previously brands mostly integrate Shazam into their ads to redirect viewers to destination sites. As more and more consumers turn to mobile devices, it is imperative that brands come up with interactive solutions like this one to engage with the audience.


Source: AdAge

Audience Entertainment Brings Interactive Ads To Theaters

Audience Entertainment, a New York-based startup, is bringing a new type of ad experience to movie theaters. By integrating the company’s technology, the new big-screen ads will allow audiences to respond and play along in real time. To expand its market reach, the company is announcing a software development kit (SDK) that will allow third parties to create content for the platform.