MUMBAI: Cox Communications, Universal McCann to explore new advertising platforms together.

Cox Communications has announced a collaborative alliance with Universal McCann (UM), the media planning and buying arm of McCann-Erickson WorldGroup, one of the world's largest advertising and marketing communications companies, to bring unique cable television advertising opportunities to Cox communities in the US.

The alliance between Cox and UM represents the first formal relationship of its kind between a cable multiple system operator (MSO) and a major advertising agency. This initiative will explore new advertising platforms appropriate for the broadband-enabled digital video realm, says a release

As Cox continues to develop and deploy new services supported by advanced technology platforms, new avenues are evolving for advertisers, the first among them being the Cox's forthcoming FreeZone service in California where digital cable subscribers will have access to an advertising-supported video on demand channel - the FreeZone.

Launching in August, FreeZone will feature long format advertising (LFA) and other advertising-supported information and entertainment content such as sports programming. FreeZone will give Cox customers the opportunity to be entertained and to get more information about a product of interest to them than they would be able to from a traditional commercial. All Cox Digital Cable customers in the San Diego area will have access to this service at no additional cost. Among the UM clients confirmed to participate in the FreeZone at the time of launch are Coca-Cola and Epic Records, a division of Sony Music, says the release.

The release says Cox has the opportunity to diversify the sources of its advertising revenue. Advertisers can get their messages across in a more measurable way. The collaborative alliance was initially conceived by UM Futures, the Universal McCann unit that focuses on the evolving digital television landscape. The collaborative alliance with Cox provides UM and its clients with a living laboratory that will enable us to glean valuable insight into consumer reaction to the evolving on demand and interactive television universe, while developing and testing new models for advertiser supported home entertainment.

Cox Communications a Fortune 500 company, is a multi-service broadband communications company serving approximately 6.3 million customers in America.

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