Virtual Prospector signals threat to banner dominance of 'Net advertising space

<p>Hong Kong advertising agency FusionActive.com is challenging the </p><p>banner ad with the proprietary technology of its US partner, MindArrow </p><p>Systems Inc. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Rubber stamping the rights to this technology little less than a month </p><p>ago, the Virtual Prospector's hook - or the "eCommercial" as it is known </p><p>in the US - is its simplicity. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Creating the equivalent of a 30-second TVC spot, online, the Virtual </p><p>Prospector emits in-synch visuals and sound compressed into a file size </p><p>compatible with Windows 95 and a 56K modem. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>And not having to wait for the broadband revolution is an obvious merit, </p><p>besides the viral convenience of its email format, according to </p><p>FusionActive chairman and CEO, Sam Lee. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We send the client's commercial via email to affinity groups - this </p><p>isn't spamming, it's targeting very specific audiences." </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Bypassing the need for online connectivity, once downloaded, the </p><p>eCommercial can be replayed numerous times, with an automatic dial-up </p><p>facility that also provides a hyperlink to the advertiser's own </p><p>website. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"We're a one-stop shop, we sit down with the client and put together a </p><p>30-second commercial, then we'll do the software driven-conversion and </p><p>compression and if you want people to link up to your website for more </p><p>information, we'll also establish the hyperlink," Mr Lee told </p><p>CReATION. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Maximising 'Net accountability, campaigns are highly dissectable - </p><p>advertisers can see who their eCommercial was sent to, how many times </p><p>they (users) looked at it, when they looked at it, and who they </p><p>immediately forwarded it to. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Citing a campaign conducted in the US with a leading pharmaceutical firm </p><p>and aimed at doctors, one eCommercial, added Mr Lee, included a </p><p>clickable "call me " button; where a link-up with the company's call </p><p>centre allowed doctors to contact a sales representative online, have </p><p>their questions answered and request product samples. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Slicing 50 per cent off the cost of an average TVC for an entire Virtual </p><p>Prospector campaign, accountability figures speak volumes for the </p><p>click-on power of interactivity and entertainment value coupled with the </p><p>novelty of early adoption. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"As an advertiser, if you've sent your commercial out to 50,000 of your </p><p>clients, out of that, 90 per cent will have a look at it and maybe 70 </p><p>per cent will forward it to 3 people," said Mr Lee. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Thus far in Asia, Toyota is the sole client to have spotted the Virtual </p><p>Prospector's first-mover advantage - featuring the latest model of its </p><p>Spider sports car in a recent Web campaign. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>FusionActive, however, is keen to bring the Virtual Prospector to the </p><p>masses - the "value added resellers" or existing advertising agencies </p><p>who are looking for a catchy, user-friendly vehicle to get a client's </p><p>product or service onto the 'Net. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"They have the existing clients so we'll let them do the creative and </p><p>we'll take care of the technology," said Mr Lee. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"As far as they're concerned it's difficult to describe this in words, </p><p>but once they've seen it (the Virtual Prospector) they recognise its </p><p>application potential". </p><p><BR><BR> </p>