Ooqa-OoqaTM 'Branded Browser launches in the UK with Global UIP deal

First campaign for Thunderbirds breaks today on citv.co.uk United Virtualities, today, officially introduces Ooqa-OoqaTM the 'Branded Browser to the UK. The launch coincides with the announcement of a 12-month, global deal with United International Pictures (UIP). United Virtualities has worked closely with the digital agency, Outrider, to secure Ooqa-OoqaTM campaigns across a minimum of ten new movie releases in Europe, Asia Pacific & South America. The first campaign launches today on www.citv.co.uk for the new Thunderbirds film.

(PRWEB) July 18, 2004 -- First campaign for Thunderbirds breaks today on citv.co.uk

United Virtualities, today, officially introduces Ooqa-OoqaTM the 'Branded Browser to the UK. The launch coincides with the announcement of a 12-month, global deal with United International Pictures (UIP). United Virtualities has worked closely with the digital agency, Outrider, to secure Ooqa-OoqaTM campaigns across a minimum of ten new movie releases in Europe, Asia Pacific & South America. The first campaign launches today on www.citv.co.uk for the new Thunderbirds film.

Andrew Brown, VP International Media & Promotions at UIP, believes that the uniqueness of Ooqa-OoqaTM technology will attract the attention of consumers. He says, We are always on the lookout for quality innovations for online promotions that allow us to communicate more effectively with the film going public. For advertising to be successful in the online environment, it must deliver features that delight the user as well as deliver our core message. Ooqa-OoqaTM does just this, with functionality helpful to users and multiple creative opportunities for UIP to reach our target audiences within a contextually adaptive branded browser."

Ooqa-OoqaTM replaces the visitors' normal browser toolbar with an advertiser or site-branded browser, preserving all the normal functionality, while offering the ability to provide enhanced functions (such as a movie data, scrolling news & information, contextual links, etc) that offer value and tools for the user. In accordance with United Virtualities' user-centric philosophy, users have the ability to close the Ooqa-OoqaTM, either for the single site visit or permanently (meaning they will never be served the same Ooqa-OoqaTM again), giving users more control and the option to return to their regular browser.

Ooqa-OoqaTM is the first of its kind," explains Martin Wright, European Head of Sales & Business Development for United Virtualities. He continues, It transforms the unexploited "dull, grey toolbar" above a publisher's web page into new and valuable advertising or branding inventory. The partnership with UIP is the first global agreement for Ooqa-OoqaTM and reflects the early enthusiasm among clients, agencies and publishers to this unique online marketing technology".

Outrider was quick to recognise the advertising opportunity and introduced Ooqa-OoqaTM to UIP. The agreement ensures that UIP has film distribution category exclusivity in using the use Ooqa-OoqaTM worldwide (excluding North America). UIP has committed to Ooqa-OoqaTM for a minimum of ten new movie releases.

Ooqa-OoqaTM is one of many innovations that are a core part of UIPs digital marketing strategy," says Tom Johnson, Digital Futures Director at Outrider. It brings a new dynamic to UIPs relationship with its customers and is evidence of UIPs commitment to innovation in digital media. The new ad unit creates up to 20% more prime ad inventory for publishers, enabling UIP to gain greater online brand exposure for its movies."

The first campaign, for Thunderbirds, launches in the UK on citv.co.uk (it can be viewed on several pages including http://www.citv.co.uk/page.asp?partid=1). Designed by Tea Creative, the Ooqa-OoqaTM has a total Thunderbirds look and feel. It features branded browser buttons adjacent to a central rotating image, introducing each of the five different Thunderbirds. The unit also allows users to view the film trailer and link to the UIP website. Clicking a special 'Thunderize button, results in Thunderbird 1 flying across the browser to reveal the film launch date. United Virtualities built, optimised, pre-tested and quality assured the Ooqa-OoqaTM and will be serving each campaign.

Further Ooqa-OoqaTM campaigns are scheduled by UIP for this Summer including Chronicles of Riddick, Bourne Supremacy and Collateral, with all campaigns being adapted by United Virtualities for international deployment to local markets.

United Virtualities is tracking the campaign in real time, using all standard metrics, plus measuring actual brand exposure time.

About United Virtualities
United Virtualities is the leading provider of innovative, advanced online advertising technology for marketers, their ad agencies and web publishers. It offers a variety of rich media platforms that are user-friendly and require no downloads to launch and play. Organisations around the world use United Virtualities' rich-media technologies, enabling them to leverage dynamic, vibrant web creative in the most distinctive ways imaginable.

United Virtualities is best known as the originator of beyond-the-banner advertising with ShoshkeleTM, one of the most successful rich-media platforms in the industry. UV continues to re-invest heavily in R&D to create and rapidly deploy new online marketing solutions that anticipate and exceed clients requirements. The company devotes 20% of its entire workforce to Quality Assurance in the process of providing the best customer service in the online advertising industry.

http://www.unitedvirtualities.com

Contact
Katy Howell
Immediate Future PR
01932 706 810
07803 898 511
Katy.howell@immediatefuture.co.uk