Dish Network and NBC Universal have inked an agreement that will provide interactive advertising trigger capabilities to NBC Universal’s 14 TV networks and 10 NBC owned-and-operated TV stations.
The triggers will allow Dish Network subscribers to use their remote controls to request more information about products from advertisers or receive coupons for product discounts.
“Bringing the capabilities and national reach of Dish Network’s interactive TV platform to the network level with NBC Universal brings national advertisers the scale and return-on-investment that they have been searching for,” said Dish Network’s Michael Finn, VP of advertising sales. “Inserting on-screen triggers in the full suite of NBCU networks allows viewers the ability to interact with an advertiser’s brand and request more information, [which is] a powerful proposition that we know to be valuable to both advertisers and viewers.”
As part of the agreement, NBC Universal will offer the ability to purchase advertisements with interactive trigger capabilities as a way to enhance their campaigns on NBC broadcasts delivered through Dish’s satellite service to its customers with digital video recorders (DVRs).
The interactive triggers allow viewers to select an icon displayed during a commercial that will take them to a page to obtain more information about the advertiser. When finished, viewers are returned to their programming at the exact place they exited. The advertiser information page may contain details about a product, service or more.
NBC will also be able to provide advertisers with detailed reports about viewer participation with Dish Network’s interactive products. The two companies said they would also continue to work together to develop new interactive products to serve future clients.
The cable industry is also working on ramping up telescoping and addressable ads this year. At this week’s NCTA show in New Orleans, vendors demonstrated advertising capabilities that used the OpenCable Platform, or tru2way to consumers, technology.
In other Dish Network news, the company said today that it has increased its senior notes offering for its EchoStar DBS unit from the $500 million that was announced yesterday to $750 million.
The debt securities will be issued as 7.75 percent senior notes due 2015. The sale of the notes is expected to close on Tuesday, subject to customary conditions.
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• ACSI for Q1: Satellite fares better than cable
• Verizon ready to install fiber optic network in all 5 NYC boroughs
• AT&T ramps up 3G mobile broadband service
• NBCU, Dish Network hookup on interactive advertising
