Ensequence: The Dynamics of Getting an Interactive Campaign to Run Live

Parminder Singh of Ensequence looks at the dynamics of running interactive campaigns in the live broadcast environment, from extended production schedules to the use of software.

TV audiences are fragmented. Personal video recorders (PVRs) give consumers the power to take control of their TV experience, often skipping over advertisements entirely. Add to that the fact that most households have hundreds of channel and programming options at their disposal, and it’s no surprise that television advertising is in a state of jeopardy.

Interactive advertisements (iAds) are the answer.

Global brands are now recognizing what brands and agencies in the United Kingdom have benefited from for years: the iAd’s ability to target with laser-like intensity, captivate audiences’ attention in new and compelling ways, generate demand and deliver increased returns.

In examining the dynamics of taking a campaign live, the U.K. is case in point. As many in the U.K. have seen, iAds require a different approach than their traditional counterparts. Whereas the 30-second advert delivers a linear message, iAds draw audiences into rich experiences that entice them to opt in and take action in what is an otherwise passive experience.

The interactive advert presents new challenges to creative teams. Audiences spend more time with iAds, and more content means that more development time is required. Increased lead times and workloads mean that creating efficiencies is crucial. From a production standpoint, additional video, storyboards and design elements are all new layers in the development process. Production schedules must also accommodate testing phases.

The fact that creative teams can now create iAds without code drastically speeds time to broadcast. Interactive software development suites, such as Ensequence on-QTM Create, deliver built-in templates and drag-and-drop capabilities, enhancing the creative capabilities of today’s iTV designers – from the storyboarding phase all the way to broadcast. A familiar user interface allows creative teams and producers to maintain creative control and work cooperatively with third parties to design iAds. Products such as on-Q Simulator condense review and approval cycles even further, keeping production on schedule.

By introducing interactivity at the earliest planning stages, agencies may undertake focus group testing at the same time that the actual advertisement’s concept and offer are being tested. This allows agencies and brands to realize the greatest benefits from focus groups and gain accurate readings of both the advertisement’s concept as well as how well interactivity is received by viewers.

by Parminder Singh, VP Worldwide Market Development, Ensequence

Please visit http://www.ensequence.com for more information.