DoubleClick Launches DART Motif 2.0, Debuts Dedicated Web Site

by Tobi Elkin, Jul 27, 2005, 6:46 AM

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DoubleClick today will introduce the next version of its DART Motif product, Motif Ad Kit 2.0, along with a dedicated Web site for interactive designers, media agencies, and online publishers that serves as a one-stop shop and community for DART users. The new version, built with Macromedia, was designed to streamline the authoring environment and make it easier to traffic ads and control work flows, according to Ari Paparo, DoubleClick's product manager-rich media.

"Our old ad kit had templates that didn't fit the workflows for most designers. It was too labor-intensive," Paparo said, explaining that the new product offers the ability to take any flash file and turn it in to a Motif ad. "We have expanded the breadth of the design template," he added. One of the new features is a one-click "preview" mode that allows ads to be previewed on live Web pages directly from Flash. These files also can be shared. Essentially, designers can use the mode to get a live preview of rich media ads without leaving the Flash environment.

The Motif Ad Kit 2.0 offers ActionScript-free authoring, so designers don't have to write code for common functions, and a process that lets them create Motif ads in Flash with just a few clicks.

DoubleClick's DART Motif got off to a rocky start when it launched two years ago. "There was a promise of Flash integration, but it wasn't really very integrated," said Gary Stein, a senior analyst at Jupiter Research.

DoubleClick faces stiff competition from Eyeblaster, PointRoll, Viewpoint/Unicast, and other so-called "rich media" providers. As more marketers step up to the online plate, they are using mostly Flash-based ad formats. Interactive ad creation is slowly becoming more standardized, but many campaigns require constant attention, with frequent messaging and creative changes. DART Motif and products like it are integral to the online design process.

Stein said DoubleClick has it right this time: "This is a significant release because they've taken steps to integrate Flash into the application. The trafficking feature and preview button are clever." He added that the preview feature is appealing because it lets clients give agencies immediate feedback. Stein also praised the new Web site, www.DARTmotif.com, created by Glow Interactive, New York, for allowing designers to swap ideas via a blog. "This is the official presence. I have a feeling people will go there for the stuff that they need," Stein said.

The rich media marketplace is growing. According to Nielsen//NetRatings' AdRelevance data, the volume of rich media impressions is up 79.5 percent year-over-year. Spending on rich media advertising is up 30 percent, according to eMarketer. "DoubleClick has the opportunity to grow Motif because the amount of rich media that's done through branded Flash is steadily increasing," Jupiter's Stein said. "This release fulfills on the Flash integration promise that DoubleClick made two years ago."

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