Networks Move To Reassure Advertisers On DVRs

from the hold-my-hand dept

Representatives of the six major broadcast TV networks are holding a joint press conference today to reassure advertisers that DVRs aren't destroying the TV commercial. While DVRs let viewers easily fast-forward through ads, studies about them have generated some good bits of news for ad agencies, not the least of which is that people with the devices watch more TV than people without them. DVR users also tend to pay close attention to what's onscreen while they fast-forward (so they know when to stop), and they don't necessarily skip every ad. People will watch ads that are interesting or relevant skipping over the bad commercials. As the television landscape changes, advertisers will have to adapt their offerings accordingly, perhaps by sponsoring video-on-demand showings, or changing the ads themselves to be better suited to DVR playback. The idea that viewers will sit and soak up any ad that's put in front of their face is outmoded, and the onus is on ad agencies to come up with commercials that people want to watch. So maybe the resistance to the DVR from advertisers is misplaced resistance to hearing that they need to do better work.
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  • identicon
    Ed, 16 Nov 2005 @ 8:41am

    I skip ads


    Note to advertisers: I skip ads on my Tivo like crazy.
    I have the 30 second skip enabled, so 6-8 clicks forward, maybe a coupld of 8 second back clicks and I am ready to go.
    Downside: I have no idea what products/shows are new and I miss some pop-culture references that come from commercials.
    If this goes away, I will have to build my own PVR that lets me skip commercials (event automatically skips them) like mythtv.org.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    PVR_CRAZY, 16 Nov 2005 @ 10:16am

    Commercial skipping

    I do not completely skip the commercials I FF through them so they do have a valid argument. If a commercial looks appealing I will reverse and check it out. But I am a guym why should I be forced to watch say a tampon commercial when it does not even apply?

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Rick, 16 Nov 2005 @ 10:30am

    Replay Does It For Me!

    When I bought my ReplayTV, I had the choice of the brand new model or last years...I chose last years because it had AUTOMATIC commercial skip. Now, when I watch a show that could be viewed without recording it, I hit record and wait about 20min so I don't have to sit through the commercials. I hate someone trying to push a product on me, if I want to buy something, I will research it myself. I pay for cable, in essence I pay to watch commercials. NOT ANY MORE! I just hate that ReplayTV caved in and took out the automatic commercial skip on the later models.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    D. B., 16 Nov 2005 @ 10:46am

    Save the commercials along with the whales!

    Yeah but I'm addicted to all these commercials. How can I have Bowflex commercials playing over and over again on my PC while I'm working? I also would like to have my video entertainment interrupted any time at random so I can get another fix with GEICO. Please help.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

    • identicon
      Badgob, 16 Nov 2005 @ 12:56pm

      Re: Save the commercials along with the whales!

      What advertisers NEED to do is get rid of commercials altogether and go with more product placement...within reason (if that's even possible).

      Ford did it with "24", during a car chase you would often see the camera pan across the ford logo (on Jack's Explorer that he drove all season long) on the grill for about 2 seconds.

      But I agree, I use my DVR primarily to record the show for viewing on my schedule..killing the commercials, however is a great secondary purpose.

      link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Anonymous Coward, 16 Nov 2005 @ 1:08pm

    What if this were being reported 10 years ago?

    Let me take this argument back 10 years.

    "Advertisers are worried that companies won't advertise via TV commercials because too many viewers are going to the bathroom or getting a beer during commercials. As a result, a new bill has been proposed in congress that would require shackles be installed on all chairs, beanbags, and couches so that the viewers can't leave the viewing area until the TV is turned off. Advertisers are thrilled at this opportunity to embrace new technologies to ensure their continued success in the marketplace."

    Sound rediculous? I thought so.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    coolin, 16 Nov 2005 @ 1:52pm

    MP3s

    Replace DVR with MP3 and Advertisers with RIAA and Commercials with Records.

    It's not the technology that hurting them, just make better product.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Jim Casey, 17 Nov 2005 @ 12:00pm

    Ads

    I have an idea. Why don't all local TV stations along with the networks and cable networks start an all ads channel. I would bet the people who really watch advertising you could count on one hand!
    I was in the broacasting industry for 25 years and not a single ad sold me anything. In my opinion it is a total waste of money that could be better spent by lowering prices on their products.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    aligirl bleiweiss, 12 Mar 2006 @ 6:28am

    being a claus must be fun

    Hi i am guessing that being a claus must be a lot of fun.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    alison kayla bleiweiss, 12 Mar 2006 @ 6:29am

    my comments are better

    hi i think my comments are better

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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