Working in the technology world and the advertising industry has taught me that there is always something new on the market that is predicted to be the next “big thing.” One new advertising trend that will live up to it’s predicted status as the next “big thing” is interactive video advertising. Why is interactive video advertising different? It is happening right now and making an impact.
Video advertising has gained popularity and proven itself to be a successful advertising tactic over the past few years. According to Adweek,
- 60 percent of people prefer video over reading text
- Video keeps visitors on your website longer
- Video is more memorable than written content.
Those are all great reasons to use video in your advertising strategy, but what sets interactive video apart from general video advertising?
Brands use video all the time for advertising, but with interactive video, customer participation is possible. Interactive video will keep your brand at the forefront of consumers minds by involving them in the action and decisions made in the video. Creative interactive video advertisements can not only increase engagement but get your message through to consumers. Here is a great example of both creativity and interactive video at work: Coldplay’s Ghost Stories Music Video
With that video in mind, think about the possibilities for brands. Coldplay uses the video to tell a story. In retail commercials, consumers now can click on the item they like, and just like that, it’s sold. Brands can find out more about their consumers depending on the choices made in the interactive video. That is what makes interactive video different; it is easier to remember activities when you are participating in the action, keeping your brand at the forefront of consumer’s minds. It also makes the experience better for consumers by giving them easy access to buying items as well as a customized experience.
To improve the consumer experience, big brands such as Facebook, Gatorade, Michael Kors, and Carrefour Spain, are testing the waters of interactive video advertising. Mobile, desktop, and smartTV devices will all have to be taken into account when creating these videos. It will be important for brands to develop different strategies depending on the device where the video is viewed.
Video has been identified as a sources of potential growth in the advertising industry. Consumers are looking for an experience, and interactive video advertising gives them the interaction that they are looking for when viewing an advertisement. Creating a connection through interactive video advertising will only help to strengthen the rest of your advertising efforts. Interactive video advertising will be the next “big thing” in 2016.