Lycos Network Europe, the online advertising sales network, is using a new advertising format, which allows users to interact with content in online advertisements like never before. The format, pioneered by Lycos with Coull, interactive video advertising tools provider, and media agency Carat, is the first of its kind in the industry The new formats enable users to interact with video content while a film plays.

This exciting format, delivered on the Coull Engage platform, means advertisers can now showcase video content online while, by clicking on product features, users can get more information as details are shown in the unit.

Renault is the first automotive brand to trial the format across Lycos Network Europe and sales network partner site About.com.

Users will be able to interact with Renault’s latest advert, learning more about the standards set by the Laguna in quality, comfort and driving pleasure.

Renault has also staged a complete takeover of the Lycos site, using a “push-down homepage takeover” format. The format enables users to roll-over a banner at the top of a page, which scrolls down, pushing the site content down the screen, rather than covering it. The new Laguna TV advert then plays in the space created by the push-down.

Sam Kayum, Sales Managing Director for Lycos UK, said: “These new formats point towards the future of online advertising, encouraging users to interact directly with content – key in today’s cluttered media environment”.

David Isherwood, E-Marketing Manager for Renault UK, said: “Renault has a long history of incorporating innovation into its product development, so it’s only natural we wanted to be the first car manufacturer to pilot this new technology.

“As a continually forward-thinking company, interactive marketing is an area we are increasingly developing an interest in, and its pioneering technology combined with customer experience fit perfectly with New Laguna”.

Lycos has recently signed up a similar campaign by Nivea, which will use the new format in coming weeks.

Click here to to see the article on Marketingservicestalk web site.

Consumers are increasingly controlling their media experiences; online, consumers are even less passive, using search engines to find information, creating and uploading content and stop advertising that annoys them. Combining the Internet’s ability to allow consumers to control their online experience with the engaging and immersive experience of interactive video where users are able to interact and engage with objects within videos, the Boots online advertising campaign proved successful. 

Results from the Boots campaign trial showed that around 30% of the viewers interacted with the various products in the video ad and it was played five times more often than the average non auto play banner ad.