ITV launches new Ad Explore functionality

From today, ITV’s interactive VoD ad format, Ad Explore, is to be updated for ITV Player audiences, with the new format launching with Thinkbox’s ‘Harvey and Rabbit‘ campaign.

The first iteration of Ad Explore, launched in February 2012, was developed to increase user engagement with clients’ brands and allow viewers to explore more about the advertiser’s products or services from within an advert itself.

ITV Commercial has now entered into a partnership with UK-based interactive video company Brainient to build and deliver new functionality for the VoD format as well as provide analytics and insight capabilities for each campaign.

The new functionality will offer advertisers a “variety of bespoke interactive templates to best showcase their brand, product or service.”

Each template also allows for interactive overlay allowing viewers to interact with brands, including “seamless click-to-purchase capabilities”, whilst the underlying video advertisement continues to play.

“Ad Explore has proved to be a great success for ITV – since launch, we have seen average interaction rates of 4%, with the most successful creatives above 15%,” said Jon Block, controller of commercial digital products at ITV.

“We are very excited to be able to offer an extended suite of interactive formats and believe the next generation of Ad Explore is an attractive, affordable and effective solution for brands.”

Thinkbox is also set use the new ‘Select VoD’ format that allows viewers to choose the pre-roll they want to watch from a selection of three branded films.

Working with Brainient, the new formats have both been designed to give the viewer an “entertaining and playful brand experience” as well as provide information about Thinkbox and drive response.

Andrew MacGillivray, Thinkbox’s Marketing Director said: “There are so many new TV opportunities out there for advertisers. It makes sense for Thinkbox to invest in and explore the latest innovations – not just to showcase their potential to the marketing industry and viewing public, but also as a regular TV advertiser ourselves. We are as interested as anyone to see what they can do.”