May 15, 2009
ICONTV, world's first interactive design portal on Telenet's digital TV
Zappware, the Belgian one-stop solution provider for interactive Digital TV (iDTV) on multiple TV platforms, were tapped by the Pontes Group, a Belgian idea-management software and services company, to deliver "ICONTV", an interactive portal for design brands. The service is based on Zappware's new iFormat for catalogues dubbed "iCatalogue". ICONTV is available on the digital TV platform of Belgian cable operator Telenet.
Zappware's "iCatalogue" allows the promotion of a wide range of items (products or services) through a fully interactive catalogue on digital TV. Text and images describe each item in one or more screens. Per item more information can be available under the form of a photo gallery and/or Video-On-Demand (iVOD). The ultimate goal of any promotion is to generate leads. Therefore, it is possible to add per item a multiple-choice quiz and/or a module for brochure or info requests. Both are compliant with the European Privacy regulations.
Zappware's iFormats are built in a modular way for easy rebranding, customization, and deployment on various TV platforms through Zappware's proprietor iView Platform, which is a flexible, platform-independent production environment. Each iFormat will interface seemlessly with external content providers so that existing information may be re-used with a minimum of human intervention. Thanks to the iView technology the client can update and schedule content himself in-house.
Marc Vervoort, iDTV Producer at Zappware: "Among our vast offer of interactive formats iCatalogue is definitely the best choice for this design portal idea. In orde to promote different brands and their respective products you need a user-friendly interface allowing to browse different categories and their respective items. This new iFormat was conceived and developed with exactly that in mind."
Rob Mahieu, Managing Partner at Pontes nv and founder of the iDTV division 'ICONTV: "In Zappware I found a valuable and enthusiastic partner to brainstorm and to shape and develop my idea for an interactive advertising medium for design on the Telenet digital TV platform. The result is world's first iDTV design portal visibly very well thought-out and perfectly meeting the contemporary needs of TV-watching design lovers and content-providing designers and design manufacturers."
Edwin Hardy, CEO Pebblemedia adds: "As Telenet's interactive sales house, Pebblemedia found a very innovative partner in ICONTV. IconTV is the first to launch a fully integrated marketing concept on the Telenet IDTV platform. IconTV not only offers her partners a state-of-the art landing environment, allowing partners to use video and call-to-actions via the Telenet Pin code. IconTV is also a concept that integrates the necessary traffic building via broadcaster airtime, including red button interactivity."
