VIA Interaction

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Advertisers trying to live with technology

I've got to tell you, I love my DVR. But I just can't stay engaged enough with the program I am watching and the remote control to be able to fast-forward through the commercials.

Still, it's a big concern for advertisers. Somebody has an idea about how to cope with the problem:

Fox Tries to Thwart DVR Fast - Forwarding - New York Times:

"LONDON (AP) -- Fox is running a 30-second television spot with just one static image in an effort to reach viewers who fast forward through ads using digital video recorders like TiVos.

U.K. advertisements for Fox's new drama, ''Brotherhood,'' which premieres in Britain in October, simply shows an image of Providence, R.I., where the show is set, and the program's logo. Viewers fast-forwarding through the ad would see the image for a few seconds; those watching it normally would hear dialogue from the show in the background.

Jon Hollett, a Fox International spokesman, said the company was experimenting with ways to get its messages to DVR users who routinely breeze through ads without antagonizing real-time viewers by broadcasting a flat, silent image for thirty seconds.

''This is something that is going to have to be addressed one way or the other,'' he said. ''Making sure that you can get to your viewers when they're fast forwarding ... is of crucial importance.'' "

posted by Tim Beidel at 9/21/2006 01:13:00 PM

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