Bozell Worldwide Introduces "WebSpot" Interactive Ads

Bozell Worldwide rolled out WebSpot, a new way for advertisers to extend their brand messages online combining sight, sound and motion.

WebSpots add an element of interactivity to a client’s marketing mix and offer a new way to deliver brand advertising messages to online audiences, the company said.

The first two WebSpots were created for Chrysler Corp.’s Plymouth brand and the Shop Vac Corp.

Described as a television commercial, interactive game and print ad rolled into one, WebSpots are designed to provide consumers with memorable and highly-focused brand encounters. They are reached by clicking on the advertiser’s banner or by accessing a gallery of available WebSpots on the WebSpot Web site.

Studies have suggested that people recall 20% of what they see; 40% of what they see and hear; and 75% of what they see, hear and do, Bozell said. “Introducing interactivity to brand advertising can potentially increase consumer awareness,” said Sam Ajluni, senior partner of Bozell’s Parallel Creative group. “We see WebSpots as a formidable branding tool for our clients.”

Reinforcing the fun and affordability of Plymouth vehicles, the “Silly Putty” WebSpot is an interactive version of a similar award-winning television ad. Using a computer mouse, consumers can place “virtual putty” over an image of the Plymouth Neon and then stretch and shape it to become other Plymouth vehicles.

Upon entering the Shop Vac WebSpot, visitors find themselves in a handyman’s cluttered workshop. A quick look around shows a typical assortment of tools and messes, including mud, sawdust, water and a pile of spilled nuts and bolts. Using the mouse to switch on the Shop Vac, the WebSpot visitor first hears the powerful whir of the motor and his/her cursor then turns into a vacuum attachment.