Desktops get an ad break

Your favourite television ad is all set to make its debut on the Internet thanks to desktop television.

Even though the Internet boasts of a 3.85 crore user base (source: IAMAI) it has rarely been identified as a mass media by the ad fraternity.

"The internet surfers are possibly the best audience for any media planner," feels Raj Nayak, chief executive of NDTV Media, the marketing and consulting arm of news channel NDTV.

"But but how does one woo the masses with content comparable to television?" Nayak may have a pertinent question. Thankfully, along with MSN India, he has managed to find an answer.

Bent upon changing the scenario on the Net and heralding it as the "next big wave in advertising" on December 19, 2005, both MSN India and NDTV Media announced the launch of what they call "desktop television" that will allow advertisers to run commercials on the MSN India home page with no technical alterations.

"The Net can reach where television can't and our endeavour is to let advertisers reach out to masses via the Net," says Rajnish, head (sales and marketing), MSN India.

But what prevented advertisers from making their debut on the Net earlier? Nayak feels these ads have always been present but the major glitch was the inability to recall them.

"They just didn't seem to stick in the mind and that's why the Net as a mass medium was being ignored," he points out. With the launch of this service, television commercials can be seen on MSN India's page without compromising on the image or sound quality.

Desktop television can run on any internet connection and there's an option of muting the audio of the commercial. "MSN India has consciously decided to do away with pop-up ads and click-on advertising strategies that are tedious. The concept of desktop television is revolutionary," explains Rajnish.

He could be right, especially as the logistics involved in displaying ads on the desktop television are minuscule as compared to television. "We have already clocked 10 advertisers since we announced our launch and will be looking at 500 advertisers by the end of 2006," says Nayak.

"Advertisers are willing to spend at least a few lakhs on the medium, especially as the Net projects a captive audience in the 20-45 age group."

Brands like Sahara, GE Money, Windows Media Centre, PNB, Reid & Taylor, to name a few, have given the go-ahead and started advertising on the Net. "There are many more in the pipeline," confirms Rajnish.

It's a new beginning for desktop television anywhere in the world and MSN India is testing waters before MSN International also goes the whole hog. "It's an unfamiliar medium and a fear of venturing into a new area may give it a slow start, but desktop television will succeed," says Nayak.

We'll know next time we use the Net.