Contributed by Anthony O’Rourke, Art Director

Recently, I purchased an iPhone 4. A serious piece of kit, if I do say so myself, certainly in comparison to my Samsung Tocco! As I begun to use some of the apps, it got me thinking about iAds. The iAd is a new rich media format for iPhone and iPod Touch users, which can use all of the functionality of both devices: tap, swipe, slide, rotate, or even shake, and it provides great interactivity for any ad.

Research shows that people don’t use search when they browse on a mobile device as they would normally do on a desktop. They use apps to source the information when and wherever they want it, so advertising within the apps makes perfect sense.

With the increasing use of smart phones for Internet browsing, the iAd looks promising as a rich media ad, and an engaging way to immerse an audience within a branded experience. The Apple audience is huge, with more than five billion apps downloaded, and they spend an average of 30 minutes per day using their apps.

“iAd offers advertisers the emotion of TV with the interactivity of the web, and offers users a new way to explore ads without being hijacked out of their favorite apps,” said Steve Jobs. “iAds will reach millions of iPhone and iPod Touch users – a highly desirable demographic for advertisers and provide developers a new way to earn money so they can continue developing free and low cost applications.”

So, do I like iAds? Most definitely, some of the apps out there are amazing and for advertising this will be an interesting space over the coming months. Check out the Nissan Leaf iAd below.

Anthony O'Rourke - anthony

Anthony loves all things digital, interactive, engaging, and any campaign with a great idea. He enjoys pushing the boundaries creatively and technically to achieve the best possible result, and he is a firm believer in “If all else fails use a cute cat playing the piano or a gorilla playing the drums.”