VimpelCom launching interactive advertising pilot

Russian service provider VimpelCom has launched interactive advertising on its Beeline TV service in partnership with GetShop.TV.

The first stage of the pilot project will see GetShop.TV’s service made available to Beeline TV subscribers in Moscow and the surrounding region, enabling interactive advertising on the Yu, Zvezda, Muz TV and CTC channels.

Viewers watching adverts for automobiles, pharmaceuticals, fashion products and other consumer goods will be prompted to access more detailed information by messages displayed at the bottom of the screen by pressing a button on their remote control.

Viewers that select this option will open a microsite window where they can view more detailed information about the product being advertised and request a callback or an SMS with a link to an external site for ordering products or receiving discount offers.

Maria Sitovskaya, director of media business development at VimpelCom, said that the launch of an interactive advertising product – something new in the Russian market – would enable subscribers and advertisers to interact more easily. She said that the pilot would enable VimpelCom to understand how viewers perceive the service, and enable it to determine what further steps to take.