Shanghai, 5th-Nov, 2004; Capture... TVC turned into an EVC

Christian Dior has taken its promotional blitz for its new Capture series of skincare products online, with an electronic video commercial (EVC).

The campaign uses email marketing agency Wanmo's new technology to convert TV clips to Flash video, with the EVC incorporated in a promotional email sent to subscribers on the agency's shopping service mailing list.

Although the email is dominated by graphics, the technology allows viewers to access product information by clicking onto visuals in the email, which redirects them to Dior's site. Byron Constable , Wanmo chairman, saw the ability of the EVC email to retain the brand's look and feel as an advantage over traditional promotional emails, and noted that although "Chinese consumers like to better understand the (distinguishing) values of the product", it was not a good idea to load a promotional email with too much text. "People tend to think of emails as unlimited space, which often results in information overload." Wanmo has only recently started to convert TVC clips to Flash format. China Telecom was the first company to use this facility for its promotional emails, with Michelin and Dior following in its wake.