Out of the Box with Sky Interactive

Interactive TV feels more exciting than ever before. The doors are being flung open both technically and creatively to introduce a new era in entertainment. Clare McDonald of Sky Interactive encourages creativity and 'thinking out of the box' in order to reap the benefits of interactive advertising.

This new era is not only about the story, the punch line, and the reward but also about how it reaches an audience. Content can be delivered across countless devices, in multiple formats and many languages. This emergence of multiple platforms demands new dimensions in creativity. The possibilities for enhanced televisual formats, brand experiences, gaming propositions, communication systems are endless. Interactive creatives are changing the whole way in which people relate to content on their television, and use it.

The designer, the director and the creative, faces a unique set of challenges in conveying the message, engaging the audience, giving the signposts. They need to have the Eureka moment – the big idea, and also anticipate how the viewer will respond to it, and what they will do next.

Usability and signposting must be clear and obvious. The colour palette, the contrast, should be considered carefully to cater to the physical space between the viewer and their TV. A few, intuitive, simple steps should lead the viewer to where they want to go.

The greatest challenge is to invent something. iTV designers on the whole are designers who have evolved from the web, through broadcast into iTV. They are a growing group of creatives at the heart of the medium, who can face any design challenge thrown their way.

They can enhance a linear experience, design an emotive brand experience, mastermind a 30 minute interactive comedy or invent a fixed odds betting game – an iTV designer can create all these.

iTV is a medium that has a reputation of being encased in a science of technology and rules. An innovative, futuristic and clever creative would not be deterred by this but would question and question again to discover how iTV can make an idea become reality.

The science behind interactive TV is simple. It’s all about good ideas, great ideas and amazing ideas…It’s great ideas that are going to make this world of interactivity grow and not the size of your budget. Conferences are good, information sharing is even better, but ideas are what will really push the boundaries. Think out of the box.

by Clare McDonald, Creative Director, Sky Interactive

For more information please visit http://www.skyinteractive.com