Toyota Partners With Delivery Agent To Produce Interactive Camry Ad

Delivery Agent has inked a deal with Toyota to power a TV-based interactive ad campaign for the carmaker’s 2015 Camry, making Toyota the first automaker to take this step into a new type of television advertising. What makes Toyota’s ad different from traditional TV advertisements?

The advertisement uses Delivery Agent’s ShopTV platform to trigger interactive elements in the 30-second spot. Engagement with the ad takes place through an interactive menu that’s triggered to appear when the ad runs. By using their remote control, viewers can browse Camry features on screen or choose to have more information sent directly to their mobile device. In addition to engaging directly with the commercial, consumers will have access to Delivery Agent’s ShopTV app installed on millions of connected devices from Samsung, LG and Roku. The ShopTV app provides access to a remote control-powered experience, allowing for further exploration of the Camry at any time.

This ad is truly an exciting new venture for Toyota, and conceptually it opens up a world of new possibilities for all automakers and marketers to develop interactive ads in innovative ways.

“By working with Delivery Agent, we can give our customers an interactive way to learn more about the bold new Camry while they are watching our television commercials, strengthening a relationship with them through an exciting new format,” said Dionne Colvin-Lovely, director of traditional and digital media at Toyota Motor Sales. “We’re proud to be the first automaker to take this bold step.”

Delivery Agent is involved in changing the dynamic of television ads, taking TV from being a passive medium into becoming interactive. By allowing viewers to participate, the concept is that consumers will become more engaged and the ads will be able to create a deeper connection than is possible with traditional television advertisements.

“Our mission is to enhance the way television and online audiences interact with content and brands, and how brands think about engaging with consumers,” explained Mike Fitzsimmons, CEO of Delivery Agent.

Toyota’s ad certainly illustrates the power of connected devices, and auto marketers, along with other advertisers, will continue to develop new ways to utilize this level of connectivity in their campaigns.

Interactive ads are an exciting prospect, but how well do they work when it comes to engaging viewers?

Nielsen conducted a study for Delivery Agent, which surveyed 1,623 U.S. adults. The results showed that consumers who were exposed to an interactive version of a commercial were more likely to correctly identify the product featured in the ad. Approximately 75% of respondents correctly identified the product that they saw in an interactive ad, versus only 57% of those who saw a non-interactive version.

Based on this study, it appears that the ability to create increased engagement via interactive TV ads has great potential, and it’s quite likely that additional automakers will launch interactive ads in the coming period.

Delivery Agent also released some results from the “shoppable” Super Bowl half-time show with Katy Perry, which was also powered by the ShopTV system. Out of the viewers who engaged with the event, 36% did so via their TV, with an equal percentage using mobile phones, while desktops accounted for 18% and tablets were used by 10% of these viewers.

All of this data indicates the growing potential for successful interactive television initiatives.

Watch Toyota’s interactive Camry ad here, as inspiration to imagine the future possibilities for innovations in interactive ads.