NTL And Real Media Create Interactive TV Advertising Service

Cable TV company, NTL, and online sales specialists, Real Media, have created a joint venture to provide the UK’s first dedicated interactive television advertising service. The as-yet unnamed company will offer advertisers a ‘one stop’ service for developing interactive ads on digital television, including placement, delivery, reporting and post-campaign analysis.

Initially the service will only be available for placement across NTL’s cable TV-internet service which launched at the end of March (see NTL Interactive Launch On Schedule); this will then extend to NTL’s digital cable TV which launches on 1 September. However, the two companies plan to extend the sales service to cover all the digital television platforms in the UK.

Once the digital TV technology really gets under way, interactive ads will feature animation, full motion video and, for direct response requirements, the option of linking straight to a point of purchase, says Joshua Rosen, Real Media’s vice-president of market development, UK and main architect of the venture.

The two groups are currently recruiting sales experts from across the broadcast industry “in order to cross-fertilise the experience and contacts from the TV and internet worlds.” The service will be promoted to agencies and buying points through a series of roadshows, demonstrations and trade marketing.

NTL’s interactive marketing director, Andy Crossley, is enthusiastic about the demand for interactive ads: “Advertiser and agency interest is bubbling over. The NTL/Real Media tie-up is all about having the ability to professionally service rapidly escalating demand,” he says.

NTL: 01252 402 000 … http://www.ntl.com/ Real Media: 0171 233 7171 … http://www.realmedia.com/