I’ve read a bunch of articles in the last couple weeks that refer to an ad format based on whether it’s “TiVo-proof.” As you can likely guess, TiVo-proof specifically refers to a way to get DVR users watching TV spots. But I’ve also seen it in broader usage, such as describing floating ads as a way to grab the same sort of attention pop-ups once did. But these ads effectively get around the pop-up blockers found in most modern browsers. In that context, floating ads effectively TiVo-proof an intrusive ad against pop-up blockers.
One article I read described a new experiment in which broadcasters are selling :05 spots at the end of commercial pods. The logic here is when you hit “play” to come out of fast-forward, the DVR automatically backs the video up a few seconds to account for viewer reaction time. So you squeeze a :05 spot into that time, effectively tricking people into watching the ad.
There’s a fundamental problem with this. It’s not necessarily squeezing those little spots in there but rather the way some people talk about it. Some consumers don’t like advertising (perhaps more to the point, they don’t like bad or irrelevant advertising, and they can’t stand clutter). That’s why they bought DVRs in the first place. True, there’s some evidence that as DVR adoption gets past the early adopter phase, we may see less ad avoidance. And I absolutely recognize the need to experiment with new models to adjust to a changing media landscape. I fully support and respect companies currently pushing this envelope; we experiment ourselves. But I’m concerned with the way many marketers approach it. The phrase “TiVo-proof” has such negative connotations from a consumer perspective. It’s no wonder they hate us.
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5 seconds would probably be ok except pretty hard to effectivly advertise much. That’s 1 second longer than a yellow light…
What really bothers me is seeing the same ad over and over again within a few minutes. People TiVo because this is damn annoying. The other thing is the number of ads. All the TV networks need to do is: 1. Cut down on the number and space them better; and 2. make a rule that says you don’t play the same commercial more than twice in an hour. I know the reaction to this will be that advertising income will go down. Maybe a little. But what good is an ad if it just annoys people? As for the five-second thing that’s too close to subliminal advertising for me. Tricky and dishonest. I wouldn’t buy a product that is advertised that way.