NOVA Entertainment reveals industry-first interactive audio commercials

Former Assistant Editor

Voice strategy is a buzz topic in the media industry at the moment, and NOVA Entertainment has announced its own strategy will be extended to include interactive audio commercials.

NOVA now has its own Google Assistant Action, adding activation and interaction for audiences listening to radio or podcast commercials.

Google Assistant-enabled devices will interact with radios or smart devices, allowing listeners to respond to a call to action or find out more information.

“This is a significant evolution for NOVA’s digital audio marketing capabilities,” said NOVA Entertainment chief digital officer Fayad Tohme.

“For the first time, listeners will be able to interact directly with a smart advertisement, responding in real time to a call to action, requesting more information, and even connecting directly with an advertiser.

“The result is a more interactive, engaging experience for the listener and greater impact for advertisers.”

The new Action it launching with a competition advertisement during Nova 91.9 Adelaide’s Breakfast show Ben & Liam. It is targeted towards South Australian listeners, and allows them to enter a competition to win tickets to Nova’s Red Room with Guy Sebastian on Valentine’s day.

Chief Commercial Officer Peter Charlton / Chief Digital Officer Fayad Tohme

“Voice-driven interactivity is an important next step down the path of personalisation for NOVA,” said NOVA Entertainment chief commercial officer Peter Charlton.

“Our priority has always been to evolve the listening experience in line with changes to the lives and habits of our audiences. The ubiquity of voice-command can’t be ignored, and neither can the clear chance it represents to deepen our audience connection.

“This is an exciting creative and commercial opportunity for NOVA and our partners, and we look forward to seeing it in action.”

The new Google Assistant Action joins NOVA’s existing Amazon Alexa Skill launched in 2019. NOVA has since launched a flash briefing skill to provide Alexa customers with news headlines and the launch of a Google Action in December 2019 with access to podcasting and News Briefs to bring the listeners the latest in Australian and International news.

In an announcement, the network says that this latest move is just the “the latest stage in NOVA Entertainment’s vision to transform the way people listen to radio or podcasts, by delivering an interactive, connected and personalised experience that provides an easy way for the audience to tailor their listening and interaction with advertisements.”

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Anonymous
3 Feb 2020 - 1:25 pm

This was tried in Wollongong with a thing called AirShr. It was also more accessible coz they gave you a button to push in your car that would actively record the ad and give your more information after the fact.

Nobody cared.

Trevor G
3 Feb 2020 - 4:45 pm

Anonymous……… by chance you didn’t create or run AirShr? You sound a little bitter like you did.

Also, this is nothing like AirShr.

Rex
4 Feb 2020 - 9:12 am

Nice idea. does it help ratings or revenue ? Not sure. But is does further promote the use of smart speakers and voice command and that’s a good thing for the radio medium.

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