Meebo has announced a new ad format. And, for most people engaged in online advertising, it really does seem too good to be true. What Meebo is promising is an ad format which is up to 900 x 400, has feature rich media and is guaranteed to engage the attention of the audience for a minimum of over 60 seconds. It does sound too good to be true, doesn’t it? But, that is what Meebo is promising.

Haven’t heard of Meebo? Well, Meebo is the instant messaging company on which the platform for MySpace IM is established. They also enable IM on about 40 other social networking sites including famous ones like Facebook. Meebo also offers on-site chat and free-standing IM which can be integrated with popular clients.

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This question has come up several times, usually in the context of brand re-development: Do we invite customers to participate in our re-branding process? That can be a tricky proposition for two reasons: First, customers are busy, and if they are great customers, they probably appreciate that you respect their time and treat it with efficiency. When approached with questions about a supplier’s brand, they may be quick to offer “get-me-off-the-phone” responses like, “They service us well and their pricing is good... Have to run.” Click. Answers like these offer little insight when it comes to understanding a brand’s true unique value.

Also, if approached in the wrong manner, customers might find the inquiry a little weird, or perceive it as a lack of confidence or conviction in your brand: “Why on earth are YOU asking ME who YOU are? That’s up to you to figure out.“

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