UK: Unilever pioneer interactive advertising of food brands

Unilever brands, Colman's sauces and Olivio spread, will run the first ever interactive television commercials with the UK's commercial operator ITV . Viewers with digital terrestrial television capability will be able to click on a strap that appears at the bottom of the screen taking them to the interactive part of the advert, which will include special offers and product information. The commercial will then reduce in size to a quarter of the screen so the viewer can watch TV programmes at the same time as looking at the advertising. The campaign will break on 1 March and run for 10 days.

February 13, 2001

Unilever brands, Colman’s sauces and Olivio spread, will run the first ever interactive television commercials with the UK’s commercial operator ITV.

Viewers with digital terrestrial television capability will be able to click on a strap that appears at the bottom of the screen taking them to the interactive part of the advert, which will include special offers and product information. The commercial will then reduce in size to a quarter of the screen so the viewer can watch TV programmes at the same time as looking at the advertising. The campaign will break on 1 March and run for 10 days.

“These interactive commercials are a fantastic way of connecting a TV message directly to a trial offer,” said Natasha Bell, brand activation manager at Unilever.

“They also offer an extra level of interest. By providing extra information on the brands, the medium, in effect, turns a 30-second commercial into a 10-minute one.”