Honda’s Zip TV ad gives viewers chance to star
Honda is launching a ground-breaking viewer-participation interactive television (iTV) ad, which allows viewers to record their own comments for later broadcast.
It is based on Weiden & Kennedy’s “Hate something, change something” TV ad for Honda Diesel, and will run on the Zip TV advertising channel. Viewers will be able to record their own comments about what they hate and how they would like to change it, with a selection being broadcast each day.
Available through Channel 4’s Interactive Services Menu (ISM) will be a director’s cut of the ad, a sing-along version, details of the new Honda diesel range and a “Making of…” documentary, as well as the “Get heard on TV” audio tracks contributed by viewers.
The campaign will only run on Channel 4 and Flextech/UKTV’s digital channels at present. Zip TV has yet to sign an agreement with BSkyB allowing its ads access to the Sky channels, although a deal is believed to be imminent. Until such a deal is signed, Honda, a member of the consortium of advertisers which backs Zip TV, is refusing to let its ads run on channels that use Sky’s interactive TV technology – effectively Sky, ITV and Five.
Other members of the Zip TV consortium include BT, COI Communications, Gillette, Orange, Procter & Gamble, Unilever and Woolworths (MW July 22).
Honda was the first advertiser to run a campaign through Zip TV, at the beginning of July. The latest campaign represents another first – Channel 4 is allowing Honda a permanent presence on the ISM, which means that digital viewers will be able to access the interactive ads at any time at the press of a button.
