PointRoll Ads Get 'Note to Self' Reminders

Rich media vendor PointRoll rolled out new features that let users engage an advertisement by setting up “note to self” reminders in the form of email, browser bookmarks and calendar downloads.

The new features, collectively packaged under the moniker PointRoll Reminder, extend PointRoll’s essential theme of doing more with the banner space by allowing rollover, clicking and typing actions within an ad’s borders.

The toolset consists of three basic features. An email reminder lets users opt in to receive a note about the advertised product or service within a designated time frame. A bookmark feature allows an ad recipient to add the product to his or her favorites. And a calendar download gizmo enables the importing of an event directly to Outlook’s calendar. All the tools allow interaction without requiring a click-through.

PointRoll described the reminder tools as ideal for advertisers promoting date-sensitive product launches or limited sales windows, citing film releases, Valentine’s Day flower sales and travel specials as possible campaign types.

“We’ve had tremendous traction and feedback, especially from any kind of event-based marketer,” said Andy Ellenthal, senior VP of sales for PointRoll. “When you only have a day to sell, it’s a great way to have the message stay relevant and valid all the way up to that date.

Qwest High Speed Internet Access is now running a campaign that uses the email reminder feature, and the company said it’s in discussion with several interested prospects, including a major credit card company.

The tools are integrated into PointRoll’s creative platform, and are available across its suite of ad formats, including FatBoy, TomBoy, TowelBoy and BadBoy.

“It’s a straightforward feature set,” said Ellenthall, “just a really cool way to extend the reach and life of online ads.