NBC Universal?s USA Network drove viewership of its FBI comedy-drama ?White Collar? with an interactive rich-media advertisement targeting Apple iPad users.

The ad integrates the show?s branding with the actual ad source with the goal of creating engagement with iPad users. Created and designed by Glow Interactive, an interactive marketing, advertising and creative agency, and served by Limelight Networks Inc.?s EyeWonder, the ad ran on The New York Times' HTML5 Web site in conjunction with the season premiere of White Collar on USA Network.

?Glow Interactive saw and continues to see a massive opportunity to be where the vast majority of people on this device?the iPad?are, which is in the browser surfing the Web, and that number is growing daily with every iPad sold,? said Mike Molnar, managing partner at Glow Interactive, New York. 

?To cater to the strategy to drive tune-in and create awareness for the show, Glow Interactive proposed this interactive ?gamified? ad and worked with USA Network to create a unique experience specifically for this audience ? who has proven to enjoy interaction with the show and its characters as well as casual games ? specifically for this environment,? he said.

?The campaign objectives were to create awareness for the season premiere and drive tune-in.?    

In addition to USA Network, Glow?s clients include Toyota, Showtime, Canon, Discovery Channel, Avon, The History Channel, A&E, Conde Nast, Wendy's and Microsoft.

Do not forget about the browser
USA Network claims that the iPad rich-media, over-the-page browser ad for the premiere of White Collar was the first of its kind for any iOS device.

Previously unavailable on iOS devices, Glow worked to integrate the network's creative with ads to develop an interactive, brand-relevant experience.

In the case of White Collar, iPad users were delivered a self-contained, FBI-themed game that was integrated with content from the show and was playable from within the ad banner.

Users take on the role of a special agent and are given a virtual scanner tool that can be dragged off the banner unit and around the page of The New York Times to hunt for hidden clues living within the actual content of the page.

When found, users drag the tool back to the ad unit to solve the clue, which will in turn provide a reward response and unlock exclusive video content, including sneak-peaks or other special footage from the show only seen within the ad.

Mr. Molnar said that browser-based rich media on the iPad offers a massive opportunity for advertisers who want to extend dynamic display media into the hands of mobile users on a device that has now reached mass market saturation with more than 14 million units sold.

The game within the White Collar banner ad is built entirely in JavaScript specifically for HTML5 browsers compliant with the iPad platform in mobile Safari.

Glow Interactive believes that moving from a click-to-interact-activation message to a touch-and-experience model increases the prospects of engagement.

The target audience for White Collar is male/female split, educated, ages 18-49 years old.

?The New York Times was a part of the core interactive buy, so USA and Ignited worked to shift impressions so those who accessed the site from the iPad received our interactive ad, versus those who accessed from a CPU who received a Flash ad more in line with the show?s key art,? Mr. Molnar said.
 
?Instead of simply trying to shoe-horn standard rich-media concepts onto mobile, tablet or other devices, the focus should be on using each device to its full potential, creating new and exciting forms of entertainment that make advertising more enjoyable to viewers,? he said.

Final Take

HTML5 Gamified Banner Ad on the iPad from Glow Interactive on Vimeo.