So you missed LOST this wednesday? No problem. Hop on the computer and go to abc.com, where you can watch the episode in its entirety absolutely free. And you only have to sit through 30 seconds of commercials at a time--which you can mute. Check it out here: http://dynamic.abc.go.com/streaming/landing
It is so easy to completely ignore all advertising throughout the show, it raises the question of why ABC would provide the service. Even for 30 seconds, you can click on another tab and check a basketball score in the time it takes for the commercial to run. I honestly do not see the point of advertising on an online broadcast such as this, and would love to see some statistics on how many viewers actually watch the ads. Perhaps the ad rates for the online broadcast dip significantly.
I love this feature, because I don't have to schedule a day around a show I want to see. Also, once I watch it, I don't have to put up with long commercial breaks. Granted, the quality of the online broadcast is slightly lower than the one on TV. This might be one reason that they are confident this service will not steal loyal viewers of the television broadcasts. Either way, if you want to watch your favorite show virtually commercial-free, then don't worry about missing it and check it out online.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Political Ads Already?
About a year and a half until the 2008 presidential election and we already have our first political ad. Mitt Romney, the republican former governor of Massachusetts, has graced us with the first of what will surely be way, way, way too many political ads. Americans shouldn't put up with anymore "dithering" in Washington, says Romney. Do you mean dithering like filming TV ads when you should be coming up with a feasible plan for the Iraq situation?
All political affiliations aside, I find myself wondering what the purpose of these ads is. There will be so many of the same vague ads making sweeping generalizations about America and then ending with the same lame campaign slogans. The name on the commercial is the only real difference. The only reason candidates keep advertising, and advertising heavily, is because if they don't, their opponents will. And a presidential hopeful can't afford to let any opponent have more time on the air then him or her. It is, after all, a game of publicity.
I believe there is an easy solution to this: Make campaign ads illegal. First, they are a waste of money. Second, any voter who bases his or her opinion on one commercial should not be deciding the future of America. Do some research for God's sake. And finally, it gives unfair advantages to candidates who can afford more commercials than others.
Imagine it. Not only would the presidential election process be more fair and intellegence-based, it would be a lot less annoying too.
All political affiliations aside, I find myself wondering what the purpose of these ads is. There will be so many of the same vague ads making sweeping generalizations about America and then ending with the same lame campaign slogans. The name on the commercial is the only real difference. The only reason candidates keep advertising, and advertising heavily, is because if they don't, their opponents will. And a presidential hopeful can't afford to let any opponent have more time on the air then him or her. It is, after all, a game of publicity.
I believe there is an easy solution to this: Make campaign ads illegal. First, they are a waste of money. Second, any voter who bases his or her opinion on one commercial should not be deciding the future of America. Do some research for God's sake. And finally, it gives unfair advantages to candidates who can afford more commercials than others.
Imagine it. Not only would the presidential election process be more fair and intellegence-based, it would be a lot less annoying too.
Advertising and White Rappers
If you don't know about "The White Rapper Show" by now, then you betta axe somebody. VH1 dipped back into the same well that brought us intellectual classics like "Flavor of Love," and decided to bring in a whole bunch of wannbe rappers into a contest for $100,000. Just for a little taste: A little white guy with a camo bandana raps about Humpty Dumpty getting murdered ("I told you Humpty, this wasn't a game!"). Get your fix of hip hop hilariousness here: http://www.vh1.com/shows/dyn/white_rapper/series.jhtml
Anyway, during the commercial break, I noticed something I had not seen before. I don't watch a lot of VH1, so this might not be new, but it was new to me. When it went to commercial, the screen got smaller, and two colorful bars inched in on the top and left sides of the screen. Also, the first commercial was not a commercial. It was extra footage and information about some of the white rappers. On the left bar, an ordinary product name was listed, like "Next: Chevy." On top, it read, "Now: Behind the Music." After about a minute spot, it played a Chevy ad. During the entire commercial break though, they alternated commercials with continuations from the same "Behind the Music" spot.
I thought this was an interesting way to keep white rap enthusiasts glued to the screen and willing to sit through the commercials. It worked on me. Frankly, I'm surprised I haven't seen it anywhere else. Of course, throwing in something like that might affect ad rates, and some companies might not want to be stuck between VH1's own segmens. However, it was an interesting way for VH1 to keep viewers watching. Perhaps segments like this will change the way networks air commercials.
Anyway, during the commercial break, I noticed something I had not seen before. I don't watch a lot of VH1, so this might not be new, but it was new to me. When it went to commercial, the screen got smaller, and two colorful bars inched in on the top and left sides of the screen. Also, the first commercial was not a commercial. It was extra footage and information about some of the white rappers. On the left bar, an ordinary product name was listed, like "Next: Chevy." On top, it read, "Now: Behind the Music." After about a minute spot, it played a Chevy ad. During the entire commercial break though, they alternated commercials with continuations from the same "Behind the Music" spot.
I thought this was an interesting way to keep white rap enthusiasts glued to the screen and willing to sit through the commercials. It worked on me. Frankly, I'm surprised I haven't seen it anywhere else. Of course, throwing in something like that might affect ad rates, and some companies might not want to be stuck between VH1's own segmens. However, it was an interesting way for VH1 to keep viewers watching. Perhaps segments like this will change the way networks air commercials.
Welcome to Jay's Ad Blog
Hello, everyone. I am a senior in the University or Oregon School of Journalism and Communication. This blog will feature some of my thoughts and insights regarding advertising in all its forms. So if you're into advertising and you like reading random thoughts from random college students, then this blog is for you. If not, you've probably already stopped reading. Well, let's get right to it.
The New York Times reported recently that a study conducted by the Nielsen Company found that DVR and Tivo owners, on average, still watch roughly two-thirds of television ads. Many viewers tune in for their favorite shows at their scheduled times, and sit through the ads anyway. Many viewers who use the DVR feature, though, still sit through the commercials.
After hearing from professors for years how Tivo will change the television ad business forever, I guess I'm a bit surprised. After all, it's much more convenient and much less time consuming to watch a 20-minute show than a 30-minute show. So if these people are recording these shows, why would they still watch the commercials.
For my part, I believe that the commercial break is so ingrained into our brains that many people probably forget. Also, instead of pausing to grab a snack or go to the bathroom, commercials offer built-in stopping points. And, of course, there are the people who live for commercials--whom I will never understand so I'm not even going to try.
What all this means for the future of television ads is hard to say. But maybe now we'll stop hearing rumblings about the end of TV ads.
The New York Times reported recently that a study conducted by the Nielsen Company found that DVR and Tivo owners, on average, still watch roughly two-thirds of television ads. Many viewers tune in for their favorite shows at their scheduled times, and sit through the ads anyway. Many viewers who use the DVR feature, though, still sit through the commercials.
After hearing from professors for years how Tivo will change the television ad business forever, I guess I'm a bit surprised. After all, it's much more convenient and much less time consuming to watch a 20-minute show than a 30-minute show. So if these people are recording these shows, why would they still watch the commercials.
For my part, I believe that the commercial break is so ingrained into our brains that many people probably forget. Also, instead of pausing to grab a snack or go to the bathroom, commercials offer built-in stopping points. And, of course, there are the people who live for commercials--whom I will never understand so I'm not even going to try.
What all this means for the future of television ads is hard to say. But maybe now we'll stop hearing rumblings about the end of TV ads.
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