TiVo Goes The Tupperware Route To Get New Customers
from the we're-having-a-party dept
One of the biggest problems TiVo had in the early years was convincing non-customers of the value of the device. Current customers quickly became converts to the religion of time shifting, with many talking about how it changed the way they watched television completely. While TiVo has become a lot more popular since then, with many more customers using either TiVo or other competing DVR solutions, apparently the company is still trying to come up with creative ideas to get more non-customers to recognize what a TiVo lets them do. To that end, apparently they're taking a page out of the Tupperware playbook, convincing over a thousand current customers to host TiVo parties, to show off TiVo's features to unsuspecting guests. Apparently the company will even be putting on special programming to help party hosts show off the features. This isn't the first time that TiVo has tried using parties as a marketing gimmick, though, in the past they've been held by TiVo itself. It's not clear if the current TiVo owners get any special reward for hosting a party on TiVo's behalf. It's definitely a creative idea that probably costs TiVo very little. It simply builds on the incredible loyalty of many of its current customers.Thank you for reading this Techdirt post. With so many things competing for everyone’s attention these days, we really appreciate you giving us your time. We work hard every day to put quality content out there for our community.
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well..
didnt all those charming homemakers get a discount to what they sold their neighbors, or some kinda commision?
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HECK YEAH!
There HAS to be some kind of "reward" for party hosts. I mean, come on.... how else do you get someone who attends your party to host their own party if not for the fabulous prizes offered on BOTH sides.
The lack of this information in the press release leads me to believe that Tivo has "hired" people to hold the parties so there won't be the "membership drive" or "party pleading" going on. Just 100% time share condo sales pitch, baby!
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tivo or not tivo
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Re: tivo or not tivo
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Wha...?
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Really?
"For years we've heard from our TiVo subscribers that they were hosting TiVo parties on their own. "
Um, really, a "tivo-party"? Or we they just inviting friends over to watch the game.
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Their interface is one of the best, if not the best I've ever seen on a DVR. It is so easy to use my 3 year old at the time could record, watch and pause her shows by herself.
However, I now own a Dish DVR, which although inferior on the GUI side offers two tuners, build in satelite receiver and let's me watch TV on a second set without another box.
Tivo should have done a better job at licensing their software and may be they'll still be able to save their sinking ship pursuing such a licensing agreement, before someone like MS or Apple marches in and buys them for pennies on the dollar.
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When you pry it from my cold dead hands
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I hate monthly subscriptions
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I signed up to host a party...
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Re: tivo or not tivo
Take a deep breath, relax. You are somewhat misinformed about Tivo and its value. I have been a Tivo owner for a couple of years now and will never go back to regular TV. I was a person who couldn't stand to be tied to the TV at a certain time on a certain day just to see a certain show. I felt like a pig lining up at the trough to get my network tv scraps. Never again! Tivo lets me lead my life how I want AND see the shows I like. In addition, the ability to skip past commercials saves loads of time (have you ever watched EVERY play of a NFL or college football game in just one hour). Regular half hour sitcoms only end up being 20 -25 minutes. I can watch almost three an hour once I leave out all the marketing you so despise. You sound like someone who needs a Tivo more than most people.
PS - A Tivo party sounds lame but everytime I have people over, they always marvel at the shows I have at my disposal, the photos and music I can display from my home computer on the Tivo, or my ability to dowload a show to my computer from Tivo and burn them a DVD to take home.
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Re: I hate monthly subscriptions
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Host a party? Are you kidding?
If I recall, when Tivo came out, you could buy a lifetime subscription for about $300, expensive, but at least you've capped the expense. The monthly subscription is total bs.
About 2 years ago I bought a replayTV because it had advanced features and I didn't feel like the company was in bed w/the media companies (can we say automatic commerical skip boys and girls?). I can attest to the power a DVR gives you over TV and it is wonderful. But, I feel Tivo asks too much of its users and has taken too long to update their equipment to ever buy one.
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Why is Tivo so great?
Why is there a subscription for recording video?
If it's what I think, can't the same thing be done with a computer and knowing when a show is scheduled? Then use something like a Task Scheduler to record?
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Hmmm...
Sad but true. It seems that most of our sports have been designed - or redesigned - around the almighty commercial break
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Your reward may be a **AA lawsuit
Don't be surprised to be slapped with a lawsuit by the MPAA (or even a different greedy organization, like MLB, for that matter) for showing an "unauthorized" program. It sounds like they're going to provide the programming for the party, which is ridiculous. It's absurd to take a one-size-fits-all approach to selling an idea like TiVo. Do you think your sports fanatic friends will be convinced if you show previews for a bunch of sappy movies? Of course not, they want to know that they can pause a game with all bases loaded at the bottom of the ninth to answer the door for the pizza guy or whatever.
I think they must be looking for a free or cheap way of advertising. They're targetting TV viewers who can't fast forward commercials, so why not just make a frickin' commercial?
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Re: Why is Tivo so great?
Want to watch an hour-long episode in forty minutes?
Want to pause live TV?
Yes, you can do something like this with cheap/free components, but it is TiVo's software that makes the difference. Networks are famous for moving shows around, doing two-episodes back-to-back etc. TiVo phones home, gets the updates and takes care of business. All you have to do is sit down and watch.
TiVo's software also allows gives you "season pass" (record all episodes of your favorite program), wishlist (record by title, keyword or name) etc.
There are some who whine and moan at the $13/month price tag. For me it is worth it; I guess it depends on your priorities and how you value your time. Paradoxically, many of these people happily pay $50+/month to yap-yap-rabbit-rabbit on their cellphones all day long. Now THAT, to me is a waste of money.
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Re: Why is Tivo so great?
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Why Subscribe?
You are paying for those and many other services offered for their software intellegence.... and what's more, you can buy a lifetime subscription, so it's not constant money down a hole.
I personally don't own a TIVO, I don't get cable, I don't watch much TV. Yes I'm a TV generationer (24 yrs old), but I'm not one to pay for something that helps me waste time when i won't use 99% of it. I get CBS over my bunny ears plugged into my Media Center PC. I have friends who love their TIVO, and it is a great tool for those who can't miss an episode ever....
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another idea
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ROTFLMAO
Reminds me of 25 years ago, saying "What the heck do I want a computer for?" :~)
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Re: another idea
Too bad the data Nazis would gas us if put to (legitimate) use.
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13 bucks
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Tas Tupperware
Greetings from: Tas Tupperware
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