What is Rich Media and how to incorporate it into your strategy?

The fundamental goal of any advertising campaign is to attract the user's attention and convert them into customers. However, in an increasingly aggressive competitive landscape, this task becomes more challenging with each passing day.

Attracting and retaining your ideal audience has become a difficult proposition. Consumers have evolved and become more demanding of brands. In a world where attention is a valuable resource, brands are challenged to stand out and captivate their potential customers. 

In this context, Rich Media is positioned as a powerful tool that not only attracts the attention of the audience, but also keeps them engaged.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• What is Rich Media
• Main Rich Media ad formats
• Benefits of using Rich Media in programmatic advertising
• Strategies to implement Rich Media in programmatic campaigns
• Creativity and Rich Media

Main Rich Media ad formats

One of the big advantages of Rich Media is its versatility. It’s not limited to a single ad type; it offers multiple formats that adapt to different campaign goals—from building awareness with immersive experiences to driving conversions by showcasing multiple products in one space.

🎯 Most relevant formats:

• Interactive display
  The classic digital banner—on steroids. Unlike a static display, this format can include video, animations, or interactions that make it far more appealing. Placed in strategic areas of the site (headers, sidebars or leaderboards), it delivers higher engagement and CTR.
• Videobox Full Screen
  A format that takes over the entire device screen and delivers an immersive experience that’s hard to ignore. Perfect for launches or high-impact branding campaigns.
• Collage (images or video)
  Combines several images or clips in a single ad to create a compelling visual story. Ideal for fashion, retail or brands wanting fast, effective storytelling.
  👉 Example: Stradivarius showcasing full looks in one interactive format.
• Carousel
  Displays multiple products or messages in a single ad, letting users swipe to discover more content. A powerful tool for ecommerce and dynamic catalogues.
  👉 Example: Wallapop using geo-based product carousels.
• Videobox Motion
  Brings in animation and movement to grab attention in seconds. Great for highlighting key benefits or conveying energy in sectors like automotive or entertainment.

• Transitions Carousel

  A step up from the classic carousel, with smooth, appealing transition effects that elevate the user experience and boost interaction.

2. Expandable

Expandable ads are like “chameleon” banners: they start at a standard size and, when users interact (click, hover or scroll), they expand to reveal much more content. Expansion can happen in two ways:

• User-initiated → on hover, click or tap on mobile.
• Automatic → on page load, showing a larger version for a few seconds.

These ads can expand in any direction, change shape, include animations or even fade elegantly. Typically they auto-retract after a set time, although users can expand them again whenever they like.

👉 Use cases:

• An automotive brand (e.g., QUADIS) launches an expandable banner where the car appears in 3D on interaction, revealing interior details.
• A fashion retailer unfolds full looks, prices and a “buy now” button synced with the catalogue.

The real strength of expandable ads is delivering richer experiences without taking extra space upfront, making them ideal for high impact without being intrusive from second one.

3. Video

Video is the star format within Rich Media because it blends the best of audiovisual with digital interactivity. It can be embedded in virtually any format (banners, carousels, expandables…) and lets brands tell stories in a visual, direct way.

These ads can:

• Play within a banner or float across the page.
• Stick to the bottom or side while the user browses.
• Trigger interactions like expanding, revealing more info or taking users to the product catalogue.
  
  

👉 Real example: fashion campaigns where users watch a video lookbook and, with a click, jump straight to the product they like. In automotive, it’s common to show the car in action and let users explore add-ons or book a test drive.

Key benefit: higher brand recall and longer attention than any other format.

4. Interstitial

Interstitials are full-screen ads that appear at key navigation moments: when switching pages, opening an app or even moving to the next level in a game. Their strength is that they capture the user’s full attention, beating typical “banner blindness”.

Main characteristics:

• Highly visible and hard to ignore.
• Can include animations, video or interactive elements.
• Users can always close them (usually with an “X” in the corner).

👉 Real example: a travel retailer showing a flash offer interstitial right when the user searches flights; or a gaming app offering rewards for interacting with a brand ad.

Key benefit: significantly higher CTRs than traditional banners and immersive experiences in seconds.

Before we dive in, it’s worth restating the difference:

• Standard formats: text or image banners, static, limited interaction and basic metrics (CTR).

• Rich Media formats: dynamic ads with video, audio or animation that invite user interaction and let you measure far more than a simple click.

Benefits of using Rich Media in programmatic advertising

• More engaging experiences
  Rich Media turns a banner into something alive. Instead of a passive ad, it offers games, videos or animations that grab attention and keep users engaged.
• More clicks and conversions
  Because they’re more immersive, users don’t just look—they click, interact and convert. That means more leads, sales or sign-ups.
  👉 Example: a dynamic carousel with a live catalogue in retail that drives clicks to product detail pages.
• Much higher CTR
  Active interaction makes Rich Media CTRs far exceed those of traditional banners.
• Advertising that connects
  Interactivity creates a more personalised experience and a stronger brand bond.
• Greater awareness
  Being more visible and impactful, Rich Media helps accelerate brand recognition. Perfect for launches or branding campaigns.
• Higher revenue
  With better CTRs and CPMs, these ads typically maximise return on investment for both advertisers and publishers.
• Creativity without limits
  From immersive video to gamified banners, Rich Media gives you freedom to tell unique brand stories.

• Goodbye to banner blindness

  Because they’re not flat or repetitive, they’re harder to ignore. In a cluttered environment, that’s pure gold.

Strategies to implement Rich Media in programmatic campaigns

The success of Rich Media isn’t just about the format: what matters is how you use it within your strategy. Here are the keys to getting the most from it:

🎯 1. Pick the right format

Launching an immersive interstitial for awareness isn’t the same as using a dynamic carousel to showcase a catalogue. Choose the format based on your goal (branding, traffic, performance) and the audience you want to reach.
👉 Example: in retail, a carousel with real-time stock can drive clicks; in automotive, a 3D expandable boosts brand recall.

🎮 2. Lean into interactivity

Rich Media’s edge is inviting users to play with the brand. Add quick polls, mini-games, forms or interactive video. The more they get involved, the stronger the connection.

🎨 3. Nail the design and aesthetics

It’s not just about a “big logo”. Rich Media works because it’s visually striking and aligned with your brand. Use high-quality creatives, smooth animations and attractive layouts that spark curiosity without overwhelming.

🗣️ 4. Keep the message clear

Even if the format allows for bells and whistles, the message must be understood in seconds. Be clear about your offer and the action you want (buy, sign up, learn more…).

🎯 5. Segment precisely

Programmatic multiplies Rich Media effectiveness when data is well used: demographics, behaviour, location, interests… Right format + right audience = winning combo.

🔄 6. Test and optimise

Rich Media makes A/B testing easy: try different CTAs, colours, video lengths or interactions. Adjust on the fly and let data lead the way.
👉 Example: Wallapop campaigns with geo-dynamic banners doubled interaction after testing several versions.

📊 7. Measure what matters

Don’t stop at CTR. Rich Media gives access to much richer metrics: interaction time, expansions, full video views, hotspot clicks… Analyse and connect these to business goals to understand true impact.

At Adsmurai we use heatmaps to analyse how users interact with Rich Media ads. They show which areas get the most attention and help optimise creativity in real time.

🔍 Key metrics:

• Complete Views: users who watch the full ad → measures depth of interaction.

• VTR (View Through Rate): assesses impact after the first view.

• Swipes, hovers and micro-interactions: gestures like swiping or toggling sound that reveal how content is consumed.

👉 With this information we can adjust campaigns on the fly, improve results and ensure a programmatic environment that is efficient and safe.

The combination of these strategies with Adsmurai’s programmatic advertising service gives you the tools and know-how to take your Rich Media campaigns to the next level. From selecting the right format to effective implementation and optimisation, you can count on Adsmurai to maximise performance and leverage a fully transparent, secure programmatic setup.

Creativity and Rich Media

In digital advertising, creativity is the spark that makes an ad work. And with Rich Media, it becomes the lever that multiplies results.

• Capture attention: videos, animations or interactive games make users stop and look.

• Create immersive experiences: it’s not just about seeing an ad, it’s about living it. Interactive narratives that invite participation.

• Memorable messages: creativity lets you deliver your value proposition clearly and impactfully.

• Real personalisation: with programmatic and AI, creativity adapts to each audience, showing the right message at the right time.

• Constant innovation: exploring new formats and approaches keeps brands relevant in a digital landscape that changes daily.

👉 In short: Rich Media combines creativity and technology to create experiences that not only grab attention but also drive interaction, conversion and brand lift. Embracing this approach is key to standing out in an increasingly competitive market.