Platform-A’s buy.at affiliate marketing network has teamed up with British video tech firm Coull to offer its affiliates access to an interactive video ad format. The ads, developed for U.K. retailer Shop Direct, enable individual items within video footage to be tagged and linked independently, allowing users to click through and purchase from a dedicated product page on one of the company’s sites: LittlewoodsDirect.com. The activity is then tracked and logged, and affiliates are paid commission based on the leads they generate.

The use of interactive video, sometimes referred to as hot spotting, has been growing slowly but steadily over the past few years, but has yet to see widespread adoption by advertisers.

“Our technology has been around for a while, but hasn’t been used as part of an affiliate campaign before,” said Irfon Watkins, Coull CEO. “The key is, it’s now becoming accessible and scalable,” he added.

Buy.at will be responsible for tracking click-throughs, sales and cost-per-acquisition commissions by embedding its tracking and analytics tags into the video itself. As a result, the units can be copied and placed elsewhere online, for example on social networking sites, while ensuring that reporting functionalities remain intact.

Louise Green, client services director at buy.at, said feedback from affiliates was already very positive, and she anticipated the format will offer “increased reach and response for advertisers.” She also expects other major U.K. retailers to follow suit, particularly within the fashion and homeware verticals.

“Online video is still a very linear experience, but our technology enables users to really engage with the content, and doesn’t interrupt their online experience,” said Watkins. “The format lends itself to any video showcasing multiple products or choices. In theory every pixel can be individually linked, so its potential uses are broad,” he added.

Coull’s video tagging technology has already made appearances on well-known publisher sites including Bebo, MSN, and MySpace. Previous advertisers have included major U.K. retailers such as Boots and Agent Provocateur, as well as European automotive manufacturer Renault.

Click here to read the article on the ClickZ Network web site.

Littlewoods has signed up as the first brand in Europe to embrace a new application enabling affiliate marketers to use interactive videos to drive customers to their websites.

The video format has been launched by Platform A and is now available for affiliate marketers on the Buy.at network. The interactive videos feature models wearing Littlewoods’ latest collection.

Each item of clothing shown has been assigned its own tag. By clicking on the items in the video, customers can click through to a dedicated page for the product, and then get forwarded to the product’s page on LittlewoodsDirect.com. Buy.at will track click-throughs, sales and cost-per-acquisition commissions by integrating the video tags with its own tracking technology and campaign analytics tools. The video application has been developed by video advertising enabler Coull.

Shop Direct Group ecommerce director Neal Preece says: “Shop Direct Group is always looking to innovate and find new ways of reaching its customers.

“The ability to take the customer directly to a product page from a product video opens up new opportunities for us.

“It’s a great tool for affiliates, which enables them to enhance their campaign promotions and drive even more sales with exciting, high-quality content”.

Click here to read the article on the Precision Marketing web site.

Clothing retailer Littlewoods Direct is rolling out interactive video clips of fashion shows, which allow viewers to click on featured items of clothing and buy them from its website.

The clips are produced with Coull technology and are being distributed online through AOL’s buy.at affiliate network.

Affiliates are incentivised to display interactive video of Littlewoods catwalk shows on their sites by receiving a share of profit from each sale they generate.

The interactive video ads, which were developed in conjunction with technology supplier Coull, feature models wearing the latest big-brand clothing from the LittlewoodsDirect.com site. Each item of clothing and accessory featured in the video has been assigned its own tag so that customers can click through and buy it.

Users are directed to a dedicated page for the product, and a further click will forward the customer to the product page on the LittlewoodsDirect.com site.

The activity is tracked to ensure affiliates are paid the correct commission for the activity they generate.

If the LittlewoodsDirect.com video ad is copied from an affiliate’s site and pasted into another website or a customer’s social network profile, Coull’s technology ensures the tracking system remains embedded.

The application is available for affiliates on the buy.at network and is the first time this video format has been used as part of an affiliate campaign in Europe.

Neal Preece, e-commerce director at Littlewoods Direct’s parent Shop Direct Group, said: “Shop Direct Group are always looking to innovate and find new ways of reaching our customers.

“The ability to take the customer directly to a product page from a product video opens up new and exciting opportunities for us. “It’s a great tool for affiliates, which enables them to enhance their campaign promotions and drive even more sales with exciting, high-quality content.”

LittlewoodsDirect.com features 16,000 product lines from furniture, white goods and electronics to clothes for men, women and children. Outfits from major brands such as Diesel, Morgan and French Connection are featured, as well as accessories and new ranges from Trinny and Susannah.

Brendan Condon, managing director of AOL’s Platform-A International, said: “Buy.at is the first affiliate network in Europe to integrate this technology for the advertisers and affiliates on our network and Littlewoods is the first client to adopt it.

“This interactive video tool will maximise the impact of the LittlewoodsDirect.com brand, engaging the customer online and driving more sales for their affiliate campaign.”

Click here to read the article on the Brand Republic web site.

Littlewoods Direct is to launch an interactive video affiliate programme following a deal with Buy.at and video ad specialist Coull.
Littlewoods Direct will provide affiliates with a video ad application that enables viewers to click on moving items within the video to link through to a purchase page.

The deal sees Littlewoods Direct parent company Shop Direct Group extend an existing deal with Coull to affiliates for the first time. The deal also includes other brands within Shop Direct Group’s portfolio such as Additional Direct and Marshall Ward.

Neal Preece, ecommerce director at Shop Direct Group, said, “The Shop Direct Group is always looking to innovate and find new ways of reaching its customers. The development of this video platform with Buy.at and Coull places Shop Direct Group at the forefront of affiliate marketing.”

“The ability to take the customer directly to a product page from a product video opens up new and exciting opportunities for us,” he says.

Irfon Watkins, Coull CEO, said, “This is the first time this has been used in an affiliate format explicitly linking a product with a purchase, so this is an important programme.”
Coull also works with Boots, Agent Provocateur, Renault, MSN and Yahoo!

Click here to read the article on the NMA web site.

Partnership marks Europe’s first use of interactive video advertising and affiliate marketing 

Platform-A’s buy.at announced today that it is launching an online interactive video application for Shop Direct Group, the UK’s leading online and home shopping retailer.  Developed in conjunction with Coull http://www.coull.com, the application is available for affiliates on the buy.at network and is the first time this video format has been used as part of an affiliate campaign in Europe.  The buy.at affiliate network, http://www.buy.at, is an Advertising.com Network Solution, provided through AOL’s digital advertising business, Platform-A.

The interactive video advertisements feature models wearing the latest big-brand clothing from the Group’s LittlewoodDirect.com site.  Each item of clothing and accessory featured in the video has been assigned its own tag.  Customers can click through to a dedicated page for the product, and a further click will forward the customer to the product page on the LittlewoodsDirect.com site.  The activity is tracked to ensure affiliates are paid the correct commission for the activity they generate.

The Shop Direct Group has worked with buy.at since 2004 to increase sales for Littlewoods Direct.com, as well as their other brands: Additions Direct, Ben Sherman, Great Universal, Littlewoods and Marshall Ward. 

LittlewoodsDirect.com features 16,000 product lines from furniture, white goods and electronics to clothes for men, women and children.  Outfits from major brands such as Diesel, Morgan and French Connection are featured, as well as swimwear, lingerie, sportswear, bridal wear, shoes and new ranges from Trinny and Susannah.

“Shop Direct Group is always looking to innovate and find new ways of reaching our customers.  The development of this video platform with buy.at and Coull places Shop Direct Group at the forefront of affiliate marketing.  The ability to take the customer directly to a product page from a product video opens up new and exciting opportunities for us,” said Neal Preece, Ecommerce Director at Shop Direct Group.   “It’s a great tool for affiliates, which enables them to enhance their campaign promotions and drive even more sales with exciting, high-quality content.”

“buy.at is the first affiliate network in Europe to integrate this technology for the advertisers and affiliates on our network and Littlewoods is the first client to adopt it, “ said Brendan Condon, Managing Director of Platform-A International.  “Shop Direct Group is a forward-thinking retailer that innovates to maintain its market-leading position.  This interactive video tool will maximise the impact of the LittlewoodsDirect.com brand, engaging the customer online and driving more sales for their affiliate campaign.” 

Irfon Watkins, CEO at Coull comments, “Interactive video is a powerful tool for enhancing product placement and driving sales online and buy.at is innovating in the affiliate sector by offering it to its network of 9,000 affiliates.  Major brands are getting excited about the impact interactive video advertising will make to their online campaigns.”

buy.at will track click-throughs, sales and cost-per-acquisition commissions by integrating video tags with its tracking and campaign analytics.  If the LittlewoodsDirect.com video advertisement is copied from an affiliate’s site and pasted into another website or a customer’s social network profile, Coull’s technology ensures the tracking and reporting remain embedded. 

buy.at manages a combination of SEO and PPC affiliates, content site, comparison and loyalty site affiliates to increase sales for the Shop Direct Group.  In January, Shop Direct Group consolidated all of its affiliate marketing accounts onto buy.at.  Research commissioned by buy.at and conducted by E-consultancy into affiliate marketing in the retail sector, revealed that retailers spend 19 per cent of their online marketing budget on affiliate marketing and 71 per cent of them expect to increase investment in affiliate marketing over next two years.