Today’s audiences tend not to pay attention to ads. They tune them out, and your message falls on deaf ears. How do you create an ad that will actually engage with your potential customers? The answer is rich media production. Here’s what you need to know about dynamic rich media.

What Is Rich Media Production?

Rich media ads include things like video, audio, and similar elements. Of course, regular online ads may employ these elements as well, but there’s an important difference. Rich media uses these elements to create an interactive experience. While regular ads are often intrusive and annoying interruptions, rich media is designed to grab the user’s attention and make them interested enough to engage with the ad.

For instance, a standard video ad might appear over what you’re doing and start playing, not letting you return to the page you were on until the ad is done, or at least until you click away. A rich media video ad, on the other hand, will start playing in the corner of the screen, or off to the side, with no sound. However, it’s designed to catch your eye. That way, if your interest is piqued, you can choose to unmute the video and hear what it has to say.

The difference is clear. In the first scenario, your content is being held hostage by a message you didn’t ask for. It’s likely to turn you off from that brand in the future. With rich media production, however, you’re engaging with the brand and asking to learn more.

Examples of Rich Media Vendors

HTML5 banner

HTML5 banner

Another great way to use rich media ads is gamification—i.e. creating a specific task for the user to perform, in order to achieve a specific result and be given a reward. In the early days of the Internet, these ads often involved actual games, inside the banner ad. Today’s technology is more advanced, allowing for all sorts of new and interesting rich media options.

For instance, the Sally Hansen cosmetics company wanted to create an interactive ad to help customers find the right nail polish for them. The ad looked fairly straightforward at first, but included the button, “Try It On.”

How do you try on nail polish on your phone? A camera prompted the user to put their hand on a flat surface and take a picture. From there, they could apply augmented reality filters to the photo, which simulated different shades and styles of nail polish on their nails. This helped people engage with the brand dynamically and get more invested in the products, and choosing which ones they wanted to buy.

How will you use rich media ads to promote your brand?

There are all sorts of options for dynamic rich media. With a little bit of creativity and ingenuity, you can find just the right way to engage with your target audience and get them not just to see your ad, but to interact with it. If you can do that, you’re more than halfway to getting them to make a purchase.

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