I enjoyed your article on “Why brand engagement matters”, but I found it strange to read about perceived difficulty in measuring how online activity  contributes to customer engagement.

The difficulty  in measuring online campaigns can be corrected by providing brands and advertisers the appropriate bench-mark measurement indexes.

With the amount of tools at at a marketer’s disposal, it is now easier than ever to measure an online campaign. Tools, such as web analytics, social reputation software or reports from  individual services, are readily available - albeit at a cost. We possess more accessible and accurate data to crunch when we’ve decided what metrics and method to adopt in measuring activity.

Rich media in one way technology providers are assessing new ways to measure consumer and brand engagement online. Focus group have their place but an online campaign gives you the unique opportunity to view interaction levels as the campaign unfolds real time. This enables marketers to make changes to drive brand engagement while the campaign is still ongoing.

Irfon Watkins

CEO

Coull

There are several ways in which social networks can monetise on content, including advertising (product placement, behaviour targeting and contextual), social commerce and, perhaps in the future, mobile.

New advertising formats such as interactive video or rich media formats allow higher engagement rates and do not interrupt the user experience, thereby bringing user engagement to a different level and providing brand engagement and better monetisation opportunities.

Video is a key area that social networks, publishers, brand owners and advertisers are looking to increase awareness of. Traditional production companies are snapping up the rights to online video content. Shine Reveille  recently took on MySpace TV content to distribute to  traditional media outlets such as television and DVD, while broadcasters such as the BBC and Channel 4 are distributing their content through platforms like Bebo.

Brands are producing more videos, hosting  these on their sites and using seeding strategies to increase pick-up, interactivity and longevity of the content. Video represents a unique opportunity to communicate marketing messages.

Brands are monetising their video content  through contextual advertising, sponsorship and placement - all of which are not engaging and interactive. And by placing users at the centre of the online video, new platforms and ad format have enabled the fusion of consumer created advertising and non-intrusive but active, participation by viewers.

The success Bebo has had with Kate Modern is now followed by Sofia’s Diary where key brands are sponsoring the series. Product sponsorship can also be married  to online video advertising placements that are non-intrusive and reinforce the value of the product.

Consumer-inspired  commercial opportunities are a real opportunity to capture monetising opportunities. Online video opportunities allow users to interact with the brand, access more information about the product and emotionally connect with brands.

Perhaps the Rolls-Royce of that is when your target audience becomes your brand ambassador and takes the time to create an ode to your brand, product or service. When brands embrace consumer power and involve them in successful ads that are driven by the evolution of video and how that is translated in digital environments, you can see how the medium holds the potential to inspire others to capture similar interest.

Irfon Watkins, CEO

Coull, Bristol

Click here to see the article on Mad.co.uk web site.

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.