NBCUniversal Rolls Out New Ad Innovations

Today, NBCUniversal launched a new collection of “commercial innovations” designed to drive interactive viewing experiences across the company’s global One Platform.

It says the newly unveiled innovative ad formats and products “blend creativity and technology, leveraging the latest technological advancements from quick-production techniques to augmented reality experiences, while tapping into the power of NBCUniversal’s expansive talent network. Together, these new innovations empower brands’ creative to take center stage, while viewers choose their own advertising adventure.”

“Our Content and Commercial Innovations are an ongoing opportunity for NBCUniversal to completely reimagine the viewer experience, while creating new ways for our marketing partners to propel their business forward,” said Josh Feldman, chief marketing officer, NBCUniversal Advertising & Partnerships. “We know that people today are craving authentic connection more than ever, and we’re thrilled to add a new layer of interactivity to the viewing experience for consumers and advertisers alike. These new ad formats are a glimpse into the future of video — bridging the gap for audiences and partners with new ways to engage and activate within powerful content that informs, entertains and shapes the world.”

NBCUniversal’s Global Content & Commercial Innovations represent the convergence of media and technology NBCUniversal unveiled at ONE21. To bring these new ad experiences to life, the company is using various innovation techniques to “supercharge” advertisers’ creative and bring viewers on an interactive journey. New Commercial Innovations include:

• @homeShoppingtransforms couch surfing into an immersive, interactive shopping experience with AR-driven commerce activations that place NBCU talent in the living rooms of viewers around the world for a special showing of brands’ products. Tapping into the power of NBCUniversal’s One Platform Commerce, viewers simply scan the on-screen code to jump start the experience from their mobile device.
• Choose Your Destinyputs consumers in the driver’s seat as they choose their own advertising journey on screen. This innovation provides personalized ad experiences decided by fans themselves — whether it is social voting tabulated in real time to decide the next installment of a brand’s creative for an upcoming linear pod, or digital-first branded content experiences that empower consumers to choose the brand narrative that best suits their interests, consumers will have unique, interactive viewing experiences, while brands gain deeper knowledge of their products.
• Look Liveempowers advertisers around the world to move at the speed of instant communication and evolve their stories to match the day’s trending conversations. Leveraging cutting-edge production techniques and trafficking processes, marketers can create quick-turn premium content that moves from shoot to on-air debut in under 36 hours. With Look Live, brands can ensure they are delivering the authentic, relevant messages consumers both expect and crave in the moment.
• Stay in Showtaps into the native canvasses within a show to create new advertising opportunities that spotlight a brand’s creative all within the viewing experience itself.  For example, with Stay in Show, marketers’ creative can launch from the screen on set, extending the deep engagement viewers have with NBCUniversal’s content to the advertising interaction. And with geo-targeting capabilities, passive placements can be layered on top of the viewer experience, creating highly relevant opportunities for brands to connect with their customers.
• Interactive Scripted Commercial Launchcreates a smooth, seamless transition between showtime and commercial break. Interactive Scripted Commercial Launch uses 2D and 3D technology to integrate both the brand within the show, and the show within the brand to retain consumers’ focus at a moment where their attention can be pulled away. The results are a flawless handoff into brands’ creative that drives viewer engagement with intriguing visuals and eye-catching technology, leading to strong impact for marketers.
• Take:15offers brands an opening act led by NBCUniversal talent ahead of their commercial spot. Powered by The Talent Room at NBCU, Take:15 creates a grab-the-mic moment for advertisers where the iconic stars consumers love, put a spotlight on and amplify the company’s message. Whether it’s a joke leading into a 30 second spot, a talent tip offered to viewers about the product they are about to see, graphic-based creative that adds a new layer to a brand’s story, or a precocious insight delivered by the up-and-coming generation of tastemakers, this pre-emptive moment draws smart attention to marketers’ key messages.

NBCUniversal says these commercial innovations “are designed with the viewer in mind, prioritizing the consumer experience, while simultaneously maximizing full-funnel impact for partners. Consistently, 93% of viewers appreciate commercial innovations compared to standard ad formats, are 79% less likely to change the channel, and 88% of consumers retain strong brand memorability. These new global innovations build on three years and counting of reimagining the commercial experience for viewers, and last year’s expansion into Global Content Innovations — all geared towards driving meaningful brand impact.”