This article originally appeared in iMedia Connection. 

Find out how VW have utilised Twitter, what CNN hoped to achieve with their African exploration, and how Nike are recruiting the Premiership’s finest feet to wow customers.

Advertisers and their agencies are packing more power and content into their ads, realising that users increasingly prefer to dwell on the ad itself, rather than clicking through and leaving the site they started from. Five ads in this month’s Creative Zone highlights illustrate how important this approach has become.

1. VW: Twitter in banner
Media agency: Mediacom
Creative agency: Crispin Porter and Bogusky

VW has been using social profiles to boost ad relevancy by integrating banner advertising with Twitter. The ad engages the user by asking them to enter their Twitter name into a text box. It then analyses what the user has been tweeting about in order to suggest what should be the ideal VW car for them.Even if the user doesn’t have a Twitter account they can still ask for a suggestion and click through to the VW site to read about the car in more detail.

2. CNN: homepage takeover – Africa Expedition
Media agency: Horizon Interactive
Creative agency: Creative Eye T

his overlay ad for the History Channel’s Africa Expedition programme offers users a wealth of content. The space afforded by the CNN homepage takeover has allowed them to launch the ad with a video preview of the show, but users can also play a game, join their Facebook group, download an iPhone app and even set a reminder for their digital TV recorder.Much of the content is geared towards maintaining contact with the consumer long after they have closed the ad, with enough variety to suit a range of preferences and interests.

3. NIKE: Malaysia
Media agency: GroupM MY
Creative agency: Compass Interactive MY

This Nike Ignite skin was developed for consumers in Malaysia and presents a very eye catching set of images as famous footballers such as Cesc Fabregas, Fernando Torres and Robinho sweeping across the screen, which scrolls downwards automatically as they appear. You can’t help but take notice.The border around the page end offers users wallpaper downloads for the players and invites them to get involved in the Nike Ignite challenges to develop their football skills. 

4. Transformers: U.K.
Media agency: MEC Interaction U.K.
Creative agency: Creative Partnership U.K.

The Creative Partnership put together an ad for the new Transformers Revenge of the Fallen movie, which allows users to view video and images within an expandable banner and skin. It focuses on the opposing sides within the film to present the varied content without giving too much away.Users can also click through to the official site for the film, but the banner itself does a great job of previewing the film. It’s a great demonstration of just how much variety advertisers and agencies are now offering from within their ads.

5. Apericube

Media agency: Isobar FR
Creative agency: Planete Interactive FR

The Apericube ad promises ‘guaranteed reactions’ and it delivers. The user chooses from an Apericube coloured cheese cube that is ‘stolen’ from one of three actors. The ‘victim’ whose cheese was taken jumps out of the banner and wrestles the cheese back from the user’s ‘hand’ all over the homepage. The ad uses mouse-tracking, interactive video and an interactive game to keep users entertained.