A new mobile campaign from Gillette uses HTML5 technology to enable rich interaction without the need to leave a mobile-optimized  site.

The men?s personal care brand recently launched a mobile advertising campaign to support the launch of the Gillette Fusion ProGlide Razor in Australia. The campaign, which includes mobile banner ads and a custom-built mobile site, is running on Mobile Embrace?s publishing network.

?HTML5 mobile rich media allows advertisers to go beyond-the-banner ad,? said Gregory Kennedy, director of global marketing at InMobi, Palo Alto, CA. ?These campaigns are designed to enrich the brand narrative the advertiser has with the consumers.

?Brand engagement tracking tools allow advertisers to measure performance of these campaigns and using HTML5 provides scale across many devices,? he said.

?Platforms like Sprout [which InMobi recently acquired] are simplifying the entire mobile rich media production process, and increasing its popularity, by making it easy for creative agencies to execute in the mobile space.?

Mr. Kennedy is not affiliated with Gillette or Mobile Embrace and spoke as an expert familiar with mobile advertising.

A close shave
Gillette is a Procter & Gamble brand.

P&G has been active in the mobile space, running campaigns for a number of different brands, including Pantene, Bounty and Pampers.

Mobile Embrace Ltd. is a leading integrated mobile and digital communications company in Australia. Its headquarters is in Sydney, Australia.

MediaCom is also a partner in the campaign.

The HTML5 technology used in the campaign enables smartphone users to click the banner ad for the Fusion ProGlide Razor that appears on the screen which then expands to a full screen experience with touchscreen interactivity.

The full-screen interactive display lets users ?shave? the touchscreen with a virtual shaver to reveal additional content, including five video challenges, the Fusion ProGlide TV commercial, a link to the Gillette Australia YouTube channel and product information.

Traditional mobile banner ads typically drive users to external mobile sites.

As mobile advertising continues to grow, HTML5 is giving brands another way to drive response rates.

?Brands that target young men such as Gillette, are a great fit for mobile rich media,? Mr. Kennedy said.

?InMobi's own research shows that men, have higher response rates with mobile advertising,? he said. ?This demographic is highly engaged with their smartphone and is spending less and less time with traditional media.?

Final Take
Chantal Tode is associate editor on Mobile Marketer, New York