ACTV Lines Up Partners for Interactive TV

ACTV Inc.‘s SpotOn interactive television ad system took two steps forward Tuesday, as ad agency GSD&M and Nielsen Media Research signed on as strategic partners.

GSD&M, which is also working on an ad campaign for ACTV Inc. , has agreed to help develop creative for the SpotOn system. SpotOn is a service of Digital ADCO Inc., a subsidiary of ACTV that is a partnership with Motorola‘s Broadband Communications Sector.

Nielsen Media Research, for its part, will work with ACTV to develop software metering systems for measuring new digital services from ACTV. The two companies say they’ll work with others in the industry to determine how such data should be reported.

“Our technology, combined with the on-going rollout of digital TV, is creating an exciting new television advertising paradigm,” said Art Cohen, senior vice president of advertising and e-commerce, ACTV Inc.

“Our goal is to provide the necessary tools that can dramatically improve the effectiveness and accountability of TV advertising in a digital environment.”

The SpotOn system lets advertisers target messages to each set-top box, and consumers can choose to view spots of interest to them. End-users can also ask to receive additional information on products during or after commercials.

These two partnerships follow ACTV’s deal with Young & Rubicam’s the Media Edge.