Dish Won’t Dodge Interactive Ads

EchoStar Communications Corp.’s Dish Network is carrying an interactive-ad campaign to promote DaimlerChrysler’s Dodge’s all-new 2007 “Caliber,” officials said Tuesday.

The initiative, which will reach close to 12 million interactive Dish subscribers, was developed by the satellite provider and Turner Media Group for Dodge. The multilevel campaign, built by OpenTV Corp., began this month and continues to the end of July.

The campaign consists of 30-second TV spots scheduled to run across dozens of cable networks that link viewers via an on-screen pop-up message, or “trigger,” to an interactive Web-like environment on their satellite TV.

Viewers then simply use their TV remote to do the following:

• View a gallery of photos of the Dodge Caliber;

• View weekly features that focus on a different aspect of the Dodge Caliber;

• Request a Dodge CD filled with games and wallpaper;

• Locate a dealer with up to nine-digit ZIP-code precision;

• Click through to TMG’s iDrive TV channel to watch an expanded version of a TV spot detailing the versatility and capability of the new Dodge Caliber; and

• Enter the iAd through a banner ad on the Dish Home portal that coincides with the TV campaign.

"This new advertising campaign demonstrates to viewers how the Dodge Caliber redefines the compact car with space-efficient packaging, interior flexibility, innovative features and performance,” Mark T. Spencer, senior manager for Dodge Communications, said in a prepared statement. “Caliber buyers are savvy TV viewers who will enjoy the convenience of interactive television to take their first test drive.”

The Dodge Caliber interactive-TV ads will run across dozens of cable channels carried on Dish, which has nearly 12 million households with interactive-capable receivers that will be able to view the enhanced and triggered ads.

Chrysler Group, TMG and Dish previously collaborated on an interactive-TV campaign in the fall for Jeep.