ITV plans big push for interactive ads

New Media Age, December, 2004

ITV has made a major commitment to interactive TV advertising, with a pledge to double its revenue from the area during 2005.

The UK's largest commercial broadcaster only began offering interactive ads in autumn last year, but plans to drive growth by targeting strategic brands over the coming months.

Peter Birch, head of interactive sales at ITV, has appointed design and build agency Pushbutton to create campaign mock-ups to help demonstrate the power of interactive TV to key clients.

ITV has committed itself to creating at least five mock-ups each month for pitches extolling the virtues of red button advertising. It hopes the initiative will convince retailers, airlines and tour operators to begin using interactivity in their campaigns....