SATELLITE & CABLE: First interactive advertiser signs up in Oz

<p>Australian pay-TV network Austar United Communications has secured </p><p>its first advertiser for its interactive advertising platform, which it </p><p>believes is the future of TV advertising. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Austar looks likely to win the race between both cable and free-to-air </p><p>platforms to offer a more in-depth advertising experience, through its </p><p>Open TV model. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Interactive ads allow a the client to offer more detailed information </p><p>about a product which viewers can drill down to by activating buttons </p><p>which appear on their TV screens during a TVC. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Motor vehicle manufacturer Toyota was the first to buy Austar's new </p><p>media and will this month (April) launch an interactive ad for its new </p><p>Toyota Landcruiser. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>While being similar to a conventional TVC, the ad will feature buttons </p><p>which will allow viewers to see different angles of the car, access </p><p>information on price and dealer locations and possibly make inquiries </p><p>about test driving the vehicle. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It is the first step in what Austar believes will be a total interactive </p><p>viewing experience. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The ad will appear on Austar's The Weather Channel, itself soon to </p><p>provide an interactive experience where viewers can select options based </p><p>on personal preferences and where they are geographically located. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Toyota's ad is the first in what Austar hopes will be a raft of </p><p>advertisers which will, in the near future, embrace the format as a way </p><p>of cutting through the clutter of 30-second TVCs on free-to-air </p><p>networks. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Interactive advertising, if adopted by advertisers, is likely to broaden </p><p>Austar's revenue streams as advertisers search for more sophisticated </p><p>advertising opportunities. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>It will also give the pay-TV network an edge in the ongoing battle to </p><p>attract new advertisers from the long established free-to-air networks. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>