Feature Article
Punch Media Wants to Redefine Tablet Advertising
The marketing world is evolving fast, and Punch Media is ahead of the game with its new advertising tablet app. It acts as a collection of apps within an app, each one opening into an interactive editorial feature. Their goal was to create something that worked perfectly on the tablet- and only on the tablet. Each Punch app acts like a unique and personal advertisement for a sponsor, built to reside within the sponsor’s own app. For example, Punch partnered with the Tribeca Film Festival and built them an ad unit within the Tribeca app. The app acts like an interactive guide to the film festival, including a map of NYC to discover various facts about each movie produced there.
According to Punch CEO and co-founder David Bennahum, the company wanted to create an entirely new experience. This marketing adventure is similar to an editorial: the advertising messages need to rise to a level that is relevant and targeted specifically to the audience. When the viewer sees the advertisement app, it should speak to them. Bennahum hopes that Punch has started a new trend in tablet advertising, one that functions within the device to play to its strengths, reaching the audience on a deeper level.
At Digital-Video Upfront, Disney Interactive Pitches Talking Tom, Shows for Mom
Disney is gearing up to launch their second online series, “Talking Friends,” a 10-episode series that’s based on Talking Tom apps. This follows another web series, “Where’s My Water?,” based on a wildly popular educational gaming app. They’ve figured out that the best way to quickly gain popularity is to find mobile games that already have strong followings.
Children can play game by texting at bus stops
The Fred Rogers Company has developed a game that uses text messages to encourage interaction between parents and their preschool children, helping to develop their literacy skills during unexpected times of the day. Although still in the pilot phase, this game invites parents to text a number shown on a poster at a bus stop to start playing. Once they begin, they will then receive a text message with a question for the child to answer by studying the poster. Once the child answers the question correctly, they receive another clue, leading them to the next activity.
More Companies Turn to CARU to Pre-Screen Ads Targeting Kids
Advertising to children has always been a highly controversial topic, and to avoid expensive problems, more and more marketers are leaning on the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) for advice. Before filming begins, companies are prescreening their projects to make sure they comply with industry regulations and rules. CARU oversees all advertising to children under 12 and clearly outlines the various potential problems, such as deception, sweepstakes, data-collection, and advertising disguise. In order to get the free prescreening, marketers must be dues-paying members of CARU. CARU reviews all campaigns at all stages in the creative process, and if an issue arises, advertisers are expected to voluntarily cooperate and resolve the problem without legal intervention.
