Seeking to get consumers to become more engaged with their ads and pass them along to friends and family, Chevrolet and Hewlett-Packard have created campaigns that allow people to personalize their own ads online, reports the Chicago Tribune.

The campaigns from both companies are powered by Personiva, a technology company that lets people insert themselves into the ads. The marketers hope that allowing people to play with the ads themselves will create a deeper emotional connection with the company or product being advertised.

It also allows the companies to control the way in which that interaction happens, control they don't have with other user-generated content, content that's often created by the younger audience sought after by marketers. Putting the interactive ads online also effectively extends the life of a costly campaign.

HP used Personiva for the web execution of its American Chopper-themed campaign at www.mychopper.tv. Chevy's microsite, www.chevy.com/carwash, is an offshoot of the "carwash" ads and allows people to be either one of the carwash employees or one of the women in the car. Both ads debuted during Super Bowl XLI earlier this month.