Yes, SGI Still Exists, But Maybe Not For Long

Advertisers Hit Fast Forward On Move Away From Typical TV Ads

from the brought-to-you-by... dept

Mon, May 8th 2006 10:45am — Carlo Longino

The "upfronts" for the fall television season -- when broadcasters preview their schedules and marketers buy the bulk of their ad time -- begin next week, and it's already obvious that the dynamics of the TV ad market are changing. Not only are advertisers holding back money to spend on new-media ads, broadcasters are also diversifying what they have to sell through multiplatform offerings, like broadband video, podcasts, mobile content and more. Advertisers seem to be leading the way -- with their spending -- away from the traditional 30-second TV ad as the cornerstone of the TV market by trying new formats to adapt to people's changing viewing habits. Part of this change requires them to understand that advertising needs to be compelling content on its own, which is the thinking behind a new offering from TiVo that lets users call up advertising content from companies and products in which they're interested. These aren't ads per se: a couple of examples are cooking videos from a food company, or a Penn and Teller skit with a particular car shown in the background. The other part of the change requires new business models to deliver content in a format viewers want, while figuring out how to pay for it. To that end, Warner Bros. has said that local stations that syndicate one of its shows will also get the rights to stream it online in exchange for a split of the ad revenues the episodes generate. While there are plenty of nits to pick with the plan -- only five episodes at a time, no downloads and so on -- at least they're making some progress. But with advertisers' interest in new-media ads that give them better and more measurable returns than the normal network TV commercial growing, things might start moving quite a bit faster. So while many of these early moves are little more than experiments, broadcasters and advertisers will eventually figure out what works and find quite a bit of that "lost" revenue.

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24 Comments

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Jim, 8 May 2006 @ 10:58am

Wow, first comment.
Anyway, while I think its great that people are starting to change with the times, I just wonder how long it will take for them to realize that it's already too late. I, for one, almost never watch t.v. If it weren't for football, then I would watch nothing.
What I would like them to see, is that, offering to people, a product, is a cost. My business costs me money to run. And you have to spend money to make money, you have to offer something of value. Commercials are of no value to me, and therefore, I don't watch them.
If you want to cut down your costs, to affect your profit margin, start at the top. Hundreds of millions are spent to try and hook people on the commercials, but how much could be saved, as well?
Well, thats just my opinion, and I would like to see if anyone felt the same, different, or indifferent.
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anonymous coward, 8 May 2006 @ 10:59am

or the networks/affiliates could follow the MPAA/RIAA example and sue anyone that skips a commercial...
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Jim, 8 May 2006 @ 11:11am

by anonymous coward
Hi anon, I beat you today, sleep late? Anyway, I like it, and they'll probably try soon.
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Eileen, 8 May 2006 @ 12:16pm

It's always been a wonder to me how many terribly annoying commercials get on the air. Just last night, watching 'Grey's Anatomy' on live TV (I usually download everything) I was driven crazy by the commercials being about 3 times louder than the TV show (alas, no mute button) so that I had to keep turning the volume waaaay down and then back up. Ok, maybe that's a network issue. But it goes along with all those "zany" and "extreme" ads out there that are really just extremely annoying... you aren't going to win any customers when you're pissing them all off after a long day at work/caring for kids/etc. Maybe I'm just hyper-sensitive but I feel like if most commercials were less HEY LOOK AT ME and actually funny/interesting I wouldn't be pining for my mute button and torrent files so much.

Between that and the ridiculous ads at movies that you've already paid for I'd say there's a lot of room to improve...
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ccreature, 8 May 2006 @ 12:39pm

Love those commercials
I must be hypersensitive also because the adds are much louder then the show that is being watched. In my household we have talked this issue in the ground. We feel that when a company makes a commercial that everyone really hates they should be fined...HaHa...that would be soooooo fun.
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NothingFace, 8 May 2006 @ 12:55pm

no kidding, i hate watching a show where your really into, the mood is slow and romantic lets say and you've got the volume cranked up so you don't miss a beat in the action. its 2am and a comercial break comes on and blows your eardrums out, wakes your parents, the dog starts howeling. the neighbors lights come on and the phone starts ringing while your getting your @$$ chewed....

long story short, NETWORK BROADCASTING STATIONS!

why don't we crank up the volume for the feature content and turn it down for ALL comercials?! why do i pay $60/month? for comercials? for exclucive customer service and a free DVR for new customers and nothing for ME the customer who has been loyaly dishing out money by the pound to you without so much as a 'hey, how about a new remot control for that worn out one you've got there thats missing your 'mute' button?' sheash, i'm about ready to cancel my plan and sign up again so i can get a free DVR with 4 receiver and free installation. wanna know how much that would cost me if i did'nt cancel first??? hundreds. many many hundreds.

oh, i was wondering, whats the monthly subscription charge for have a DVR all about anyhow? $5/month for a box that works like a souped up VCR? i don't get it. please explaine it to me.
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Bob, 8 May 2006 @ 1:05pm

Context
I think advertising needs to be context oriented. Like "lost" should have airline commercials. er.. wait.. tropical vacations.. er.. wait.. insect repellent.. yes nobody said it was easy.
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A Funny Guy / The Poison Pen, 8 May 2006 @ 1:30pm

Volume of tv commercials
Do any of you know why commercials are much louder than the shows they infest?

It because advertisers know that people get up and walk away from the tv when commercials are on.

The fix snacks, go to the bathroom, talk, let the dog out....etc...

It is a last sitch effort to get their product concept into your head.

Don't forget the subliminals in audio also.

Do you think these people pay all this money without knowing they are going to get a return?

No they don't. All of these decisions are planned and even the failed advertsing promos cause some buzz.

These companies don't care that you don't like their commercials....... they already know that with the psych tricks used in advertising that a certain percentage of people are going to be imprinted one way or another.
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Ron, 8 May 2006 @ 1:53pm

Ads Chaning With The Times
This is bull-cookies. Advertisers, in general, are not going to change. They have used they same stupid format for decades and will continue to do so because they are generally too stupid to recognize that 1. annoying your potential customers is not a grand idea, 2. to capture the attention of your potential customers you must appeal to them with a product and content that makes them interested in your product, and 3. most of the stuff being advertised is really just crap. The innovative advertisers will probably not last because they do not fit the general model so they are really just the small fish and will eventually lose out to the large juggernaut advertisers that continually bully their way into our entertainment periods. BTW: anyone ever notice how most ads on TV, if they were deilvered to your computer, you would call spam and just delete them?
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my, myself, and i, 8 May 2006 @ 2:04pm

hey, there is a typo in the article. that 'behing' should be 'behind'
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Javarod, 8 May 2006 @ 2:54pm

The solution has already been found, Blipverts.

Gee, I didn't just date m'self, now did I?
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Al Gore, 8 May 2006 @ 3:35pm

Boo Ya!
You know... That's what I was trying to say to you guys when I was running for president! Had I won the elections you wouldnt have to put up with any of the annoying commercials or anything!!!
In 2008 vote Gore!!!!!
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HotGarbage, 8 May 2006 @ 4:18pm

a la carte programming
I have a great idea. Let's provide all of our shows a la carte, stream them on demand over the net, and pay for the shows tht we want to watch. This will ensure that we don't get a lot of channels that we don't want. Instead of blasting 200+ channels to our sets and us choosing which ones we want to watch, that happens to be on at that particular time, let us choose what we want to watch and when. There would of course be some obvious ones that would come on a set times. These would include events like the Super Bowl or NASCAR races. But standard weekly programming would be made available on say sunday evening for that week and we could watch our favorite shows when the kids AREN"T hopped up on sugar that grandma gave them because she doesn't watch television and doesn't care what is on. Tivo was a great solution for time shifting, great, but there really is no need for toothpaste advertisements during this weeks episode of 24 or lost. Lets bundle the show titles together in handy pricing packages that lets viewers choose which titles goes into their package. Like any 10 shows for 10.99 or something like that.

Then for an additional 10.99 you can have acess to the archive of a certain number of previous seasons of the shows that you have selected for your package. If you want to watch a new show, you can for say .99 cents then you can go nto your package preferences and add it on later if you want to watch them all. They would be available for say a month when you are due for your next payment. See, we get our programming, and the content providers get their profit, and there need be no advertisers involved.
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Starky, 8 May 2006 @ 5:11pm

Re: Boo Ya!
Yep, you sure would have fixed it! I mean, who else could but the man who invented the internet!
Anyways, I'm glad to see them shifting markets, but still annoyed by irrelevent commercials before certian podcasts.
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Tom, 8 May 2006 @ 6:16pm

TV Commercials
I don't mind the commercial content nearly as much as the sheer volume of commercials. A 60 minute show can have up to 20 minutes of commercials. Give me a break...no, no...give me my TIVO
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ccreature, 9 May 2006 @ 6:33am

Love those commercials
Not only is the sound to loud....the same commercial will be shown over and over and over by the time the show is over I am so angry I want to boycott the company not buy a &%$ thing from them.

But enough of the problem...what about the solution? I do like the idea of picking a bundle of shows and not having a ton of channels shoved down my throught just because I want one certain channel that happens to come with a bunch of crap I don't want....That would be nice. How could we make that type of programming happen if consumers really want it?
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craxxyyy, 12 May 2006 @ 11:37pm

Re:
hey eileen...i know this is out of topic, but could you tell me from where you download the Grey's Anatomy episodes?
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2006 @ 1:12am

bla
bla
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Anonymous Coward, 3 Oct 2006 @ 1:12am

bla
bla
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Monty57, 19 Oct 2006 @ 9:17am

Re: annoying commercials
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE!!!.....there are far too many commercials on most channels and in my opinion, if you're "annoying" the viewer while they are watching their favorite show with dumb, or lengthy commercials (ie. CTV's commercial for Grey's Anatomy showing some singers' video who has an annoying voice, while showing clips of Grey's Anatomy) can it be any longer??? OH MY GOD!!!.....these ads won't make me run out and make a purchase!!!!! or watch their show!!!
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cuzzmo, 29 Dec 2006 @ 1:42pm

Re: dam commercials
its illegal to pump up wattage/volume on commercials sooo...they lower wattage on the program your watching so youll turn it up.SCAM i say.
i took a years marketing and business will rip you off ANY way they can.ex-sunday x 3,phones are ringing off the hook,first 30 calls get special offer,call now operaters standing by-ya ya ya bs
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cuzzmo, 29 Dec 2006 @ 1:55pm

Re: Volume of tv commercials
I HATE COMMERCIALS
yip the new fad seems to be anything loud
americans go for doorbells,ringing phones,sirens
they are called attention getters and because of you they work so on goes americas love affair with the electronic device.we cant stand silence anymore.
phones ,mp3 players,personal assistants,bluetooth enabled,gameboy,psp,portable dvd player,cd player,
jeeeeez ever hear a bird chirp anymore.....think....
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cuzzmo, 29 Dec 2006 @ 1:56pm

Re: Volume of tv commercials
I HATE COMMERCIALS
yip the new fad seems to be anything loud
americans go for doorbells,ringing phones,sirens
they are called attention getters and because of you they work so on goes americas love affair with the electronic device.we cant stand silence anymore.
phones ,mp3 players,personal assistants,bluetooth enabled,gameboy,psp,portable dvd player,cd player,
jeeeeez ever hear a bird chirp anymore.....think....
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Paul Klein, 6 May 2007 @ 2:20pm

Obnoxious pinheads.......!
Whenever I need to mute a commercial (TV, Internet or otherwise) - I make it a point to notice who the offender is so that I do not inadvertently purchase their product... These obnoxious pinheads can go piss up a rope for all I care...

I'm thinking of suing for the mental and physical stresses that they incur to me incessantly throughout the day. In fact, we should all sue irregardless of the chances of winning the cases... Perhaps lost revenue in the courts may deter their greedy, piggy little fingers! The almighty dollar is the only thing they care about - They certainly don't give a damn about us...
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