Microsoft’s NUads (natural user-interface ads), which we mentioned last month, are set to become a reality later this year and will be launching for the Kinect some time around September (or fall, if you live Stateside).
The first advertisers to make use of Microsoft’s interactive ad campaign will be Toyota, Axe deodorant (Unilever) and Samsung Mobile. Toyota will be grabbing the very first spot by the look of things, with a poll following the ad that will give viewers the chance to see real-time results to the question being asked. It is a ways from the facial-reaction-tracking type of ad that was put forth last month but it still offers something new to advertisers.
“The first NUads format to roll out offers polling capabilities that allow advertisers to ask a multiple-choice question during the airing of a 30-second spot. Consumers can enter the poll with a simple wave of a hand or a voice command while viewing the commercial. Consumers get a real-time tally of the answers so they can see how other Xbox LIVE subscribers are voting, and advertisers get real-time feedback from consumers to help inform future campaigns.”
Whether consumers will actually participate is another thing and will depend on how the ad is structured. The planned simplicity of a voice command or hand-wave being all that is required to give feedback may go some way towards making consumer ad interaction a reality.
Source: Engadget
