NBC Universal has struck a deal to take advantage of Dish Network’s interactive-ad platform for spots that run on the programmer’s 14 TV networks, which include NBC and its cable services, and 10 NBC owned-and-operated TV stations, officials said Tuesday.
Dish Network subscribers who have a digital video recorder will be able to use their remote controls to request more information from NBCU advertisers about their products or to receive coupons for various product discounts.
“Our agreement with Dish Network is part of NBCU’s ongoing initiative to make television advertising more effective and provide better accountability for our clients’ media investments,” Mike Pilot, NBCU’s president of sales and marketing, said in a prepared statement.
“With this deal, we’re extending our ability to provide RFI capability to any commercial on any NBCU network—an important step and a unique capability in the market as we work with our clients to better understand and adapt to the new ways consumers are watching television,” Pilot said.
As part of the agreement, NBCU will offer the ability to purchase advertisements with interactive trigger capabilities as a way to enhance their campaigns on broadcasts delivered through Dish Network’s satellite service.
The interactive triggers allow viewers to select an icon displayed during a commercial that will take them to a page to obtain more information about the advertiser. When finished, viewers are returned to their programming at the exact place they exited. The advertiser information page may contain details about a product, service or more.
NBC will also be able to provide advertisers with detailed reports about viewer participation with Dish Network’s interactive products. Both Dish Network and NBCU will also continue to work together to develop new interactive products to serve future clients.
DISH Network subscribers with DVRs are able to view with this interactive functionality.
“Bringing the capabilities and national reach of Dish Network’s interactive TV platform to the network level with NBC Universal brings national advertisers the scale and return-on-investment that they have been searching for,” Dish Network vice president of ad sales Michael Finn said in a prepared statement.
“Inserting on-screen triggers in the full suite of NBCU networks allows viewers the ability to interact with an advertiser’s brand and request more information—a powerful proposition that we know to be valuable to both advertisers and viewers,” Finn said.
