Publicis plans the first ‘fully interactive’ ad

Publicis aims to be the first agency to create a fully interactive TV advertisement that allows viewers to select what happens to the storyline within the broadcast stream.

To date, interactive ads have given viewers the option of clicking through to a microsite for further information or to order a brochure, while the programme continues to run in the corner of their screen.

Publicis is creating the ad for homeless charity The Depaul Trust.

During the course of a 60-second ad, the viewer will be presented with a common introduction piece and at two set points asked to select a choice of narrative by pressing a button. If users choose not to engage, a default route is selected for them. At the end of the ad, the viewer may be given the option of clicking through to a microsite for more information or to make a donation to the charity.

Jon Williams, creative director at Publicis Networks, says: “We wanted to allow the creativity to dictate the technology.”

Renault claims to be the first car company to have created a digital interactive ad. The Clio ad breaks on January 31 on C4, E4 and Film Four.