Starcom develops new ad format for PSP

Global - Starcom, in conjunction with Sony Computer Entertainment and CNET, has developed an online gaming advertising format to launch Sony's God of War - Chains of Olympus game for PSP.

The new format, Toggle Video Wall, allows brands to engage with site visitors through a hybrid of a site skin and a video wall.

Site visitors can watch multiple videos without leaving the homepage of the site, and view short video showcases when they arrive at the site including Sony's ‘God of War' game, which is later minimised into a leaderboard ad format.

The new ad format provides a snapshot of the quality of game play available through God of War.

The Toggle Video Wall was viewed by almost 350,000 GameSpot AU visitors over the three-day ad campaign that launched on March 28. The ad format was developed in partnership with CNET Networks Australia's in-house design and ad operations team, Starcom, Sony's agency BMF and Eyeblaster.

"In just three days a very large amount of Sony's key target audience engaged with the new game via the Toggle Video Wall. This is an excellent result and demonstrates the indepth engagement experience online offers," Sandrine Cagny, Starcom's senior digital planner, said.

"Bringing the strategy to life was a challenge in the cluttered digital space. Starcom needed to excite and captivate our highly demanding target audience of gamers - these guys are excited by novelty and innovation. We challenged CNET, got them to think laterally to find an exciting way to activate our strategy and bring to life the overwhelming power of the God of War," Yvette Mayer, digital director for Starcom Sydney, said.