Zip Gives Viewers Access To Interactive Car Specialists
Interactive television consortium Zip TV has signed a unique interactive advertising deal with car manufacturer Honda to provide viewers with direct access to motoring specialists through their Digital TV sets.
The first ever prototype of the service, known as The Honda Dealer of the Future, is being revealed for the first time by the motoring giant, with Honda experts able to interact with viewers who press red, demonstrating and discussing on screen various highlights of Honda’s Civic Type-R using video, audio and graphics.
Lee Goodger, account director at Zip TV explained: “We are responding to Honda’s challenging marketing strategy. Honda wants consumers to experience the brand at every step of the buying journey and building a one-on-one relationship is paramount.”
He added: “By using interactive TV, we can be incredibly creative, making Honda accessible to a wide range of customers, expanding viewer expectations of iTV and delivering a positive viewer experience.”
The Prototype, developed by Zip TV’s own creative production team, demonstrates live how viewers will speak to a Honda specialist.
The specialist responds through the television in a picture-in-picture window, with the rest of the TV screen used to show video and images throughout the conversation. The Honda specialists have a large amount of information available and they browse and select appropriate images to highlight points in the discussion. So a consumer particularly interested in safety, will be able to explore the key safety features of the car through the TV.
According to Simon Thompson, head of marketing at Honda, the Honda Dealer of the Future, is another way of engaging consumers with the brand. He said: “Viewers can research and investigate a Civic, Accord or any Honda vehicle from the comfort of their own home. Because they can talk to a real person, it immediately becomes more engaging and the brand experience is extremely positive.”
He added: “The beauty of this service is that there is no set path for the consumer. They choose what they want to see during their conversation – you don’t get more consumer-centric than that through a mass medium!”
Interactive advertising has been the focus of several high profile campaigns in recent months, with a recent presentation from Sky’s market insight manager, Kerry Taylor, at the Media Research Group Conference in Madrid revealing that, compared with a total of 17 interactive commercials in 2000, 520 campaigns have already been run in 2004 (see Sky Unveils Interactive Advertising Insight).
Zip TV: 0207 101 7360 www.ziptelevision.comRecent Television Stories from NewsLine Advertisers Alienated Over Plans For Junk Food Ban Freeview Penetration Set To Equal Sky Next Year Channel 4 Bags Toyota For Teachers Sponsorship
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