Advertiser: Nick Online
Agency: Peak Advertising
Product: FatBoy Expandable
Features: Interactivity, video, downloads, send to a friend, email reminder
Description: Find out how to be the ideal Mr. Meaty employee.

Advertiser: Alltel
Agency: Martin Agency
Product: FatBoy Expandable
Features: Green screen video, interactivity
Description: See what Alltel's competitors have to say about "My Circle."

Advertiser: Proctor & Gamble (Folgers)
Creative: Bridge Worldwide
Media: MediaVest
Product: FatBoy Expandable
Features: Interactivity, audio, video, gaming
Description: Experience new stomach friendly coffee.

Advertiser: Pioneer Electronics
Agency: RPA
Product: BadBoy Floater
Features: interactivity
Description: Enter the Pioneer PureVison test lab to see the latest plasma technology.

Video Works in Rich Media Ads!

With the recent acquisition of YouTube by Google, consumer-generated online video can officially be crowned the buzz-word-o-rama champion of 2007. Video on the web is exploding. Combining the lush emotional capabilities of video with the emerging wave of consumer-generated content is the sweet spot where reality meets marketing. Every agency and marketing department wants to do it. But it needs to be done right.

At Ripple Effects Interactive, our team employs user-generated videos as promotional tools on client’s sites, in rich media banners, and on social networking sites.  We’re not talking about TV ads repurposed on the web.

We collect consumer-generated videos, review for “sensitivity” and allow the post to go live.  The consumer has become our brand ambassador.  However, for clients who are less willing to risk the perils of actual consumer-generated videos, we shoot the video ourselves in a manner that feels real – slightly below professional quality with rough edits and hand-held camera angles. We’re not a video production house, so shooting less than professional quality comes natural.  

Some tips for video in rich media banners:

1. Keep videos short – 30 seconds is an eternity online. Longer videos can be broken down into shorter segments as incentive to drive users deeper into the banner or the site. 
2. Since most publishers don’t allow audio on load, use surprising or interesting images to catch attention and encourage the user to turn on the volume or replay the video. 
3. Remember that videos are about inspiration and emotion.  Humor works best in many cases – but other “motivational” feelings can sell too.  
4. First person testimonials are always a good way to go – they are, in essence, embedded word-of-mouth marketing. 

Ripple Effects has placed consumer-generated videos in rich media banner ads to rave reviews from our tourism and education clients – we’ve seen CTRs over 1.25% and brand interaction time over 30 seconds.  Video works in rich media ads.  

Furthermore, the beauty of emerging social networks is that videos can be used to create additional promotional environments for the client.  So when you consider using video as part of an ad campaign, think about the other places the video could be used. Posting on the likes of YouTube, Google Video, and MySpace extends the reach of the brand into other online arenas. The client gets more mileage out of one video that should have been inexpensive to produce in the first place. 

Cars.com & United Online Join PointRoll's Included Program

PointRoll is pleased to welcome two new members of the Included Program(TM).  Cars.com, the most comprehensive destination for those looking to buy or sell a new or used car, and United Online leading provider of consumer Internet and media services through a number of brands-- Classmates, MyPoints, Juno and NetZero.  Cars.com and United Online round out thirty of the web’s most elite publishers, who offer included pricing when running Pointroll rich media ads on their properties

Cars.com is an invaluable publisher to advertisers within the automotive vertical.  They are partnered with over 200 metro newspapers, TV stations and their corresponding websites to provide the most comprehensive destination for a new or used car buyer.  With almost 2 million vehicle listings, Cars.com's extensive and intuitive features provide the user with all the information they need when making a car purchase

United Online’s sites and services, which include classmates.com, MyPoints, NetZero and Juno among others carry more than 50 million users. With many high traffic, versatile sites, United Online will appeal to a great number of advertisers.  United Online’s properties are diversified to include social networking sites, online loyalty marketing sites, internet access portals and even Voice –over IP. 

For more information, visit http://www.pointroll.com/publishers/included.asp or call 800.203.6956

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