• by Laurie Sullivan  @lauriesullivan, January 23, 2012

Social takes on a new meaning when it comes to display ads from Anthem Blue Cross of California. The WellPoint healthcare program launched an interactive campaign that adds live video feed of the person viewing the ad.

Three physician tools, from thermometer to ophthalmoscope, are placed in the right panel of the ad, with a disclaimer calling the tools a "fun" experience, rather than serious tools of diagnosis. The viewer picks a tool and leans in to have their picture captured and projected on the screen.

SocialVibe took augmented reality technology from Zugara and turned a static display ad into an interactive social experience with support from the ad agency Deutsch. Kelly Colbert, Anthem Blue Cross director of strategic advertising, said the campaign has been running since August in California, but the healthcare company plans to expand the campaign to nine additional markets in February.

The average time spent with the Anthem Blue Cross ad is 76.1 seconds, Seventy-seven percent of consumers run through all three tools, and 71.6% of consumers click through to the landing page for more information after completing the interaction with the advertisement.

Colbert said the ad campaign highlights preventive medicine -- services most consumers aren't aware they have. The campaign targets women who Anthem identified as the decision makers for family healthcare plans.

Since more women 25 to 54 spend time with social games, Anthem decided to run the ads in Zynga games, such as "FarmVille" and "CityVille" games, along with "Frontierville," "Cafe World," "Adventure World," "Empires & Allies," and "CastleVille."

The ad links to landing pages describing health programs, such as plans and health tips.

The Anthem ad invites consumers into the experience, said Mike Barbeau, SVP of sales North America at SocialVibe, a digital advertising company. It makes consumers part of the message, similar to the radio commercials from the grocery chain Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, where consumers tell their experience in the store.

Barbeau said one of the challenges in inviting consumers into the experience is that they might try and change the message. Brands will always have consumers register negative comments, he says, but hopes the ad's message can offset that.