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Microsoft has signed up the first advertising partners for a new interactive Xbox Live TV ad format that is due to roll out on the games console this autumn.
NUads, which Microsoft announced at the Cannes Lions festival last year, will allow users to interact with 30-second TV spots using voice and gesture controls through the Xbox Kinect motion controller.
Unilever’s Lynx brand in the UK and Toyota and Samsung in the US will the first to develop ads in the new format, Microsoft announced yesterday. The system is now open to all advertisers.
“We developed NUads to breathe new life into the standard 30-second spot. With NUads, brands can get real-time feedback from audiences, making TV advertising actionable for the first time,” said Xbox Live entertainment and advertising general manager Ross Honey.
Initially NUads will allow advertisers to engage their audience by asking questions, with viewers able to respond to polls by speaking or gesturing. Microsoft says this will also give advertisers real-time feedback from consumers to help inform future campaigns.
New functionality due to be incorporated into the interactive ads in future include being able to share a brand message on social networks and the ability to click through to the web to get more information on a product.
The news comes days after TiVo and Comcast each partnered with online service PayPal to improve ad engagement and allow viewers to buy content from TV with a few clicks of the remote control.
