Agencies Commit to Using IBM HotMedia

IBM said that OgilvyInteractive, Organic Media and The Leap Partnership have signed on to use IBM HotMedia, a Java-based rich media toolkit, to create interactive banner campaigns for their customers.

The online component of IBM’s own e-business advertising campaign also will be developed using HotMedia, the company said.

“Through rich-media effects like panoramas and 3D objects, IBM HotMedia allows online advertisers to use powerful, interactive banner ads that recreate real-life scenarios,” said Armando Garcia, vice president for Internet media at IBM.

HotMedia is designed to allow the use of animated GIFs, panning and scrolling images, multi-track animations, zoomable/multi-resolution images and audio and video clips.

HotMedia allows the ‘real estate’ of the banner ad to be greatly expanded. For example, by placing navigable panoramic images within the banner space, Web users–without a plug-in–can manipulate and examine the advertised items.

Examples of Web banner campaigns implementing the HotMedia toolkit can be found at IBM’s Web site.

OgilvyInteractive will use the technology in the online component of IBM’s e- business ad campaign. A second phase of the campaign, which originally launched in September and features IBM customers, will employ the HotMedia toolkit to deliver a richer user experience. Spending was not disclosed.

Additionally, Organic Media is developing online advertisements for barnesandnoble.com and Fragrance Counter using Hot Media. These ads will appear in November.

IBM said that 24/7 Media, DoubleClick, Engage Technologies, and NetGravity have tested HotMedia banners and can serve, track and monitor HotMedia banners just as they handle existing Java banners.

IBM HotMedia software is a set of small Java applets and a set of use tools for content creators. The HotMedia player is separated into tiny Java applets (typically less than 10 kilobytes in size), which are delivered to the user on an as-needed basis.

An applet is only downloaded once, where it remains in the browser for the duration of the session, speeding playback of subsequent content.

IBM HotMedia is delivered progressively, typically a lightweight static image, animated GIF, or scrolling image. The click of a mouse enables additional content to begin playing.

HotMedia is available free at www.software.ibm.com/net.media.