• by Mitch Oscar , Op-Ed Contributor, October 27, 2009

The 2002/2003 broadcast season was pivotal for my interactive television evolution. TiVo, having sworn off advertising applications excluding Showcases the prior fall, allowed me to expand its "Gold Star" application to include movie trailers with the showcasing of Adam Sandler's "Mr. Deeds Goes To Washington"; digital video recording rival RePlayTV, reflecting upon an analysis I prepared of revenue generating advertising opportunities, or lack thereof, in the early 21^st century within the time-shifted realm, relinquished delusions of marketers as their cash cows and real time shifted its focus to licensing deals; cabler Cox Communications invited my Universal McCann clients to participate in its free Entertainment on Demand, FreeZone service -- a unique long formed video asset-ed proposition for national advertisers; and Turner Broadcasting pre-rolled and post-rolled my advertiser's traditional 30 second video commercials, plus a "brought to you by" into their ad supported VOD channels -- CNN and Adult Swim, if I remember correctly. All that was required for participation with each venue, besides suspension of disbelief and patience in these variations of consumer manipulated applications, was video -- some commercial length and other long formed.

 

 Shortly thereafter, a company called Navic introduced interactive banners that overlaid local cable operator commercial video announcements. Advertisers now had the opportunity to add a twist of direct marketing to their branded spots. A TV viewer could request a brochure, receive a coupon, vote on a competition, agree to be contacted by a company's representative - all with a click on the remote control in the comfort of their laid back environ. Additionally, the overlay banner interactivity could be targeted by Zip code. With Hyundai in tow at ad agency Carat we experimented with carving up the Phoenix DMA into four dealership zones delivering a customized banner to TV viewers housed within the dealer-divvied zips i.e., "Would you like Larry Miller Hyundai to deliver a new Sonata to your home for a test drive," "Enter to win a trip to Mexico and get a free 24 hour test drive from Earnhardt Hyundai," "Test drive a new vehicle at Hyundai of Tempe and receive a Free Go anywhere cooler."

 Months later we proposed that the Hyundai Albany dealership be passed the RFI'd baton and replicate the Cox Communications Phoenix Navic trial -- with tweaks. This time, however, we entered into Time Warner's domain, Albany. Both Phoenix (Cox) and Albany (Time Warner) had access to the same Navic overlay creative tool kit. Yet Albany's version seemed less sophisticated than the one on display in Phoenix. When I apprised the Time Warner folks of the visual discrepancy they were incredulous at first. After some cajoling they agreed to scrutinize a screen shot from Phoenix. With Navic's intersession we were able to transport the more appealing Navic screen skin up north and east to Albany.  

 Thus began my closer encounters of a templating kind.

 In my limited experience, the majority of templates (banner overlays, microsites) are provided by the distribution platforms (cable and satcasters) and the creative cost is generally subsumed into the media package. Functionality trumps creativity. Generally, the same set of assets is utilized throughout the entire campaign with little regard for consumer wear-out or overexposure. Sometimes iTV software developing specialists, such as Ensequence and Emuse, are brought in for consult or creation of unique applications. One time only elaborate experimentation. In my estimation, we need a more effective templating system that allows for creative versioning at affordable pricing with near real time modification capabilities. Templates should be easily built and tested to form shells into which content owners -- media and advertising -- can add new themes/designs, content, navigation and links without impacting on the live campaign while maintaining the integrity of the branded experience.

 In recent months I've been working with a British company, Alcatel-Lucent, which has taken a horizontical approach to templating, thinking televisually rather than video silo-ed. A software/ technology company after my own heart -- or wallet, for that matter. Let me explain. From a vertical perspective Alcatel's template design maintains the campaign's look and feel whether the application provided is a request for interaction (couponing, polling, voting, interaction requesting or telescope) and/or in combination with a microsite offering text, graphics, and videos. Vertically layered interactive apps that hopefully present an engaging and consistent marketing experience to the viewer. Horizontally the same approach/ templating is offered when the marketing wishes to expand its TV applicative messaging across other video silos i.e., mobile and broadband. Same look. Similar feel.  Speed to market. Hence the importance of being templated in the realm of the televisual horizontical.