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August 2008 - Strategy Magazine
What next?

Widgets are the new banners

by Annette Boudeau
page 37

Static banner ads are so passé.

Salt Lake City-based Media Forge builds banner ads that double as widgets, letting users interact with branded content without having to leave the page they're on. And if they really like what they see, they can download the widgets to their desktops.

Clients include American Idol, Skullcandy and Overstock.com, which deployed a "Daily Steals" widget that alerted users of sales and helped the company achieve a 19.43% increase in earnings per click, and a 24.5% revenue increase. "There are lots of different ways to leverage content," says Tony Zito, CEO of Media Forge.

American Idol used a banner/widget to promote its Singer's Advantage vocal training product, and offered exclusive clips from the TV show as well as samples of the lessons. Meanwhile, headphone company Skullcandy offers widgets featuring skate-related video clips starring skateboarders it sponsors.

Advertisers can expect to pay between $3,000 and $10,000 per banner/widget. www.mediaforge.com.

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