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Vibram mobile ad succeeds in driving viewers to online store

Vibram FiveFingers ran a HTML5-based rich media mobile ad that not only drove brand awareness, but also resulted in a 1.3 percent click-through rate on iPad devices.

The ad unit leveraged touch screen technology to reflect the brand?s unique product line by enabling users to tap a virtual pair of Vibram shoes appearing on the screen to make them run. The unit showcased the versatility of the shoes by enabling users to make the shoes run across a variety of surfaces, including grass, a dirt trail, a road and coals.

?Gamification and utility are two features known to increase mobile consumer engagement,? said Paran Johar, chief marketing officer at Jumptap, Cambridge, MA.

?Using your fingers to ?run? in the shoes across various terrains added a game-like quality to the ad, and the addition of a store locator and links to mobile purchasing offered the utility feature necessary to make target consumers? lives easier,? he said.

?The key s to creating a successful rich media campaign on mobile are visually appealing creative, engaging content and audience targeting to increase the relevancy of the rich media ad.?

Vibram collaborated with Amp Agency, Nail Agency and Jumptap on the effort.

Barefinger running
Vibram FiveFingers running shoes are glove-styled shoes designed to allow the foot to move naturally so the body operates as if it is barefoot while the shoe protects the foot with a rubber sole.

The ad unit begins as a banner on which appears the copy ?Barefinger Running?? and ?Tap Here to Try It? along with the Vibram logo. Users who click on the ad to expand it are instructed to ?Tap Two to Fingers to Run? and see pair of Vibram shoes that, when tapped, begin to move across the various terrains.

The ad unit created for the mobile campaign included a link to a store locator landing page where users could enter their ZIP code to find the nearest store.

Additionally, users could view separate men?s and women?s shopping pages where they could see product images and place an order.

Jumptap and Nail Agency created the interactive experience with a HTML rich media ad unit.

The app appeared widely in relevant mobile sites with a goal of reaching active, health conscious and tech-savvy consumers.

Rich media, rich results
In reflection of how a rich media, interactive can drive awareness and engagement for brands, viewers of the Vibram mobile ad expanded the ad at a rate nearly double the network average and delivered seven million targeted ad impressions.

The ads drove roughly three out of every five viewers who engaged with the ad to the Vibram online store.

The campaign is the latest example of how shoe brands are embracing mobile.

Nike recently introduced an iPhone application that helps golfers improve their game and uses photos, social media and location (see story ).

Last year, adidas ran a video-centric ad campaign across online, mobile and tablet devices to drive awareness and engagement (see story).

?The 1.41 percent ad expansion and nearly 60 percent engagement rates speak for themselves this was a homerun both for Vibram and consumers,? said Brittany Schermerhorn, associate media director at Amp Agency, Boston.

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York