Advertisers will be able to take advantage of ITV's interactive capability from next month when the service will roll out using Sky Interactive's interactive advertising service.
It is hoped that not only will it push forward the interactive advertising industry but, according to Jane Marshall, controller of ITV Interactive, it will attract new money into TV from areas such as press and direct mail.
"This is a huge step forward for ITV and for the market. Crucially, the availability of interactive advertising on ITV will increase the power of television as an advertising medium and attract new money into TV from areas such as press and direct mail. It will also extend the opportunities for advertisers to create one interactive ad that can be broadcast on multiple channels," she said.
The deal with Sky Interactive provides ITV's family of channels with a range of advertising remedies, which will further simplify the interactive advertising process and help to minimise costs for advertisers.
Graham Duff, chief executive of Granada Enterprises, said: "The deal with Sky Interactive allows ITV's channels to offer the broadest range of interactive advertising products in the simplest and most cost-effective way for our customers.
"ITV1 brings mass audience to interactive advertising on the satellite platform -- a great opportunity for advertisers to engage with those 17m viewers on both a network and regional basis from this autumn onwards."
Interactive airtime sales are being handled by the two ITV sales houses Carlton Media Sales and Granada Enterprises, which are headed for a merger as part of the £4bn ITV deal.
Martin Bowley, chief executive at Carlton Media Sales, said: "This deal means that TV is a true 360-degree medium for the mass market, combining impact, information and involvement in an instant."
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