A recent Nissan Infiniti effort demonstrates that iAd-quality rich-media campaigns are possible on the iPad, iPhone and Android devices without a minimum $1 million ad buy from Apple.

The campaign is for Infiniti?s QX model and ads were served via Google?s AdMob network. The in-application ad units land users into an HTML5 full-page experience packed with video content, interactive elements and an option to visit the Infiniti site.

?Our strategic vision for this execution was to communicate the brand?s essence through the launch of the QX56,? said Marisa Robertson, a planner at TBWA/Chiat/Day, Los Angeles. ?At its core, Infiniti leverages its Japanese heritage and ability to craft high-performance vehicles to create a deeper sensory connection between car and driver.

?This unique way of car-making, referred to as the ?Way of Infiniti,? resulting in a world-class luxury SUV and the iPad was the perfect platform to bring it to life,? she said.  

Infiniti?s agencies are OMD and TBWA/Chiat/Day. The Visionaire Group was responsible for the creative execution.

The ads appear in iPad applications in the sports and travel space.

Here is a video with the entire iPad experience captured for the Infiniti ad:

Cross-channel
Working with its agencies, Infiniti recognized that the target audience for the new QX actively uses a range of mobile devices. 

To engage with these mobile consumers, Infiniti decided on a strategy of partnering with Google's AdMob network to run a campaign across a range of devices including iPhone, Android and iPad.

The campaign featured rich-media ads such as interactive video, interactive interstitial and click-to-animated expandable.

Additionally, Infiniti?s campaign included banner and text ads that drove consumers to rich and engaging post-click experiences optimized for high-end smartphones and the iPad.

?Creative was central to the success of this campaign,? said Johanna Werther, product marketing manager of mobile advertising at Google/AdMob, Mountain View, CA. ?Infiniti didn't just want to reach users on just one type of device, so we ensured their mobile creative could run successfully on multiple devices across multiple platforms. 

?As a result, Infiniti's rich-media ads and engaging post-click experiences brought the QX to life across a range of devices,? she said. ?Taking advantage of the touch screens on iPhone, Android and iPad devices, the creative is arguably even more interactive than online creative where users must engage though a mouse click.

?Touching the screen to rotate the vehicle 360-degrees is the kind of experience that makes you say wow.?

Tablets change mobile marketing
Tablet devices such as the iPad and upcoming competitive devices from Samsung and Toshiba have expanded the possibilities of users to easily access the content they want, when they want it, according to OMD.

Brands cannot afford to ignore these devices because they have impacted sales of netbooks and laptops. Marketers need to carefully monitor changes of media consumption and identify opportunities to engage with their target and even an entirely new audience as well.

The video of the Infiniti campaign on iPhone, Android and iPad show that the iPad is an extension of what is already possible on high-end mobile devices, just on a smaller screen.

The touch functionality is the same, and drives extremely interactive experiences through touch funtionality that is obviously not possible on the desktop. 

The large form factor of the iPad makes it a great place for branding, according to Google.

The audience is small but growing fast on these types of devices, and more advertisers seek to include this device not as a standalone campaign, but as an extension of their mobile presence.

"Overall mobile is allowing users to access information and tools on the go," said Gustavo Alvarado, group media director at OMD, Los Angeles. "We currently evaluate mobile strategies, tactics and opportunities on a case-by-case basis. 

"However, as we continue to test the space, mobile becomes a more integrated part of our programs," he said.

Final take
Giselle Tsirulnik is senior editor of Mobile Marketer
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