MEDIA: P&G debuts interactive ad campaign on Open

Procter & Gamble is to launch an interactive advertising campaign

on Open, in a new push behind Charmin toilet tissue and Olay

cosmetics.

The campaign marks P&G’s debut on the Open platform. The consumer

products giant has already trialled interactive ads on rival Cable &

Wireless’ digital cable platform for its Pantene hair care brand, and

has also taken part in Carlton Active trials on ONdigital with its Max

Factor brand.

P&G follows in the footsteps of arch-rival Unilever, which became Open’s

first interactive advertiser in March this year with an ad for Chicken

Tonight, and has since run further ads for its Persil and Dove

brands.

The P&G campaign, which kicked off on July 3, is aimed at attracting

consumers via games, free samples and product information. The Charmin

campaign features two games and the opportunity to request a voucher

redeemable against a free roll of Charmin. For the Olay brand, the

interactive ad offers consumers an insight into the seven signs of

ageing. Viewers can then request a sample of the product Olay Total

Effects.

Starcom Motive is handling media for the ads, which have been created by

digital new media agency Workhouse, working with the brands’ main

creative agencies, Saatchi & Saatchi for Olay, and D’Arcy for Charmin.

The ads will run on selected Sky channels, backed by banner ads on the

Open platform.

The move reflects a softening in P&G’s attitude toward interactive

television.

Just two months ago Rahul Chakkara, European interactive marketing

manager for P&G, was quoted as saying that the price of interactive TV

advertising was dissuading the company from developing a long-term

strategy.

Open launched in October 1999 offering home shopping, TV banking,

entertainment and e-mail initially to digital satellite TV households.

So far over 750,000 have signed up to use its e-mail service and 1.6

million people use Open at least once a week.

This article was first published on Marketing