Reaping the Rewards
of Rich Media
If you’ve determined Web is Step 1: Ensure Rich Media is right for you. • How can you encourage them to click or
the correct medium for your Questions to Consider: mouse over the ad?
message, you may be ready to • Is a Rich Media ad the right WAY to carry • Can you tell the campaign story in video?
venture into the world of Rich the message? • Will you be able to engage users with
Media advertising. In four simple • Can your target audience be engaged online? a game?
steps, you can be on your way • Can your budget accommodate the higher • Should you offer a free download so the
to a Rich Media ad that will have costs of a Rich Media ad? (They’re typically audience continues to engage with the
your target audience interacting more expensive to produce and more brand after the ad?
with your brand for minutes at a expensive in terms of media).
time. Are you ready? • Are you willing to take a leveraged creative Step 3: Engineering the right ad.
risk that could reap big rewards? The next item to consider is exactly how the
ad will look in terms of its architecture. Ads
Step 2: What should the ad contain? can expand down from a top headline banner,
• What does your target audience like to do? expand across the page from a square ad
• What would motivate them to become part unit, or the activity can all happen within the
of a conversation about your product? confines of the ad unit. This architecture will
also be determined by what is available on
Web sites within your media buy and what
content you determined in step two.
Then, work with your design team to craft an
ad that’s engaging, shares the right message,
and achieves your campaign goals.
Step 4: Tracking truckloads of success.
Ah…that fabled last step is one of the stickier
elements a marketer should consider when
creating a Rich Media ad — or planning any
component of a campaign. The best part
about Rich Media is that there’s so much to
measure, a marketer will have their choice of
metrics and can use a plethora of statistics to
prove their return on investment.
Consider what can be measured in your ad:
live your story
A Rich Media ad created for
1. What interaction is the most immediate call
Sears. The ad expanded when
you rolled your cursor over the to action inside the banner? And how many
image to reveal a sale item. of the viewers followed the call to action? This
Ad included video and audio. can be tracked in a simple numerical count.

2. The next simplest measure is the close rate. Tracking
how many people clicked to close the ad (meaning
they didn’t stay to play) can help measure how
engaging the ad was.
3. How long does each user play around inside the ad? Is
it a manner of seconds, or minutes? The longer they
stay engaged, the more positive experience they
should gain with your brand or product.
4. If it’s tabbed or has multiple sections, like a microsite,
in which area are they spending the most time?
5. If there are downloads available, how many people
clicked to download each one?
Then, work with whomever is programming your Rich M
Media ad to ensure that the programming for each of
these metrics has been built into the ad properly.
Now you’re on your way with a new, high profile and high
return tool in your communications arsenal.
Ford was running a promotion on the purchase of a 2007 Fusion. The
Rich Media ad asked you to put in your zip code and you were directed to
the closest dealers Web site. If there wasn’t a dealer available it would send
you to the Ford Web site to learn more and put you in touch with a
Ford representative.
For more information on Brand Alignment and how it benefits ALL of your communications
and business efforts, contact Imaginasium at (920) 431-7872 or visit imaginasium.com
live your story Imaginasium is a Full Brand Alignment firm dedicated to guiding leaders through measurable change
by aligning their brands through strategic marketing communications.
110 S WASHINGTON STREET GREEN BAY, WI 54301 P 920.431.7872 800.820.4624 F 920.431.7875 IMAGINASIUM.COM
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