DTV marketing targets males

[dhaakenson]

Interesting story in USA Today:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/adtrack/2007-03-25-directv_N.htm

[armophob]

"By the end of this year, DirecTV will provide 100 HD channels, the most in the competitive pay-TV business. It plans to beam 150 HD channels by the end of next year from its 12 satellites"

BS

[jpl]

Haven't read the article, so I'm speaking from just an impression of the title of the thread. If this is what passes for news today, then the news business is in bigger trouble than I thought. My only response - well, duh! Of course it targets men more than women - no offense to the women on this thread, but I would say that my family is pretty typical of families in general. In my house most of the decisions affecting things like TV and internet service fall to me. Not because my wife is incapable (she's smarter than I am, and a heck of alot less impulsive), but because I have a real interest in the nitty-gritty of this type of stuff.

I was the one who drove the decisions to switch to DirecTV, to upgrade to a DirecTivo, and then to the replacement R15 when that one died, and to a second R15 when I saw the promo deal for a free one on this forum. I was the one who drove the decision to move to FiOS internet for ISP service. I was the one who drove the decision to buy our last 3 TVs. I would say that in most houses it's the guys who tend to be more into technology.

One quick story to illustrate this. A few years ago, after getting a new TV, my wife's friend (who was over to see my wife) congratulated me on the purchase. She then turned to my wife and said "you know how these guys are - the arrival of a new TV in the house is like the arrival of a new baby." THAT'S why companies like DirecTV target men - again, no offense to the women out there, but men are the target demographic for companies like DirecTV.

[JLucPicard]

:righton:

[eneg]

Even if what you say is true, you are now under arrest!
Please surrender at once. . .

Eneg

[carl6]

I agree with jpl. If it were my wife's choice, we would have a 17" black and white tv with a set of rabbit ears - maybe. She enjoys hi-def with DirecTV, but she would never have gotten it herself, and I fully expect it will be disconnected within days of my demise, should I pre-decease her. Heck, she'll probably bury the dish with me:lol:

Carl

[Dolly]

Sorry guys I can't agree with you :box: I drive the decision making in my house. I pick the D package we have. I added MLB EI plus SuperFan. My husband is so tight with money so I do the spending for him :lol: And while my husband is a sports fan, I'm a bigger fan plus I like more kind of sports than he does :)

[JLucPicard]

And while my husband is a sports fan, I'm a bigger fan plus I like more kind of sports than he does :)
How does he feel about Tennis? :grin:

[wmschultz]

How does he feel about Tennis? :grin:

Oh No.....

Get out the whip.... :beatdeadhorse:

[ZoSoAir]

I agree with jpl. If it were my wife's choice, we would have a 17" black and white tv with a set of rabbit ears - maybe. She enjoys hi-def with DirecTV, but she would never have gotten it herself, and I fully expect it will be disconnected within days of my demise, should I pre-decease her. Heck, she'll probably bury the dish with me:lol:

Carl

My wife is the exact opposite. While she does leave me to make the programming decisions (more like allows me the Honor in her eyes) she wants the best bang for the buck.

She was the one sighing while leaving Sam's club and Wal-Mart after looking at HD TV's. When I surprised her with a 37" HDTV she pretended for about 4 hours to be upset over the purchase. During those 4 hours she told me that I had no right to complain when she brought something home that costs $800 without telling me first.

After those four hours passed, I was allowed back into the room to unpack the TV because "I want to see what it looks like" (she said).

The next day I was in the garage rebuilding the entertainment center so it could accommodate a 37" wide screen.

I'm sure somewhere down the road I will pay dearly for that day, and have no right to complain, but I think I will start saving for that day now so my wallet doesn't have a stroke when it comes.

[jpl]

Wow, didn't mean to start a firestorm here. Dolly, I was thinking of you when I said "no offense to the women on this forum..." I know that you're out there :) I'm just going by my own personal experience. My wife is extremely bright - wasn't kidding when I said that she's much smarter than I am (although, some of you are probably saying "wow, that's really not saying much..."), but she just has no interest in things technical - and she used to be a software developer! Don't get me wrong - she LOVES the results of my upgrades (well, most of them), but if it weren't for me getting a burr in my saddle, we would still be using Comcast on a 19" TV that we inherited from her family when we got married.

My main point is that, men get more excited about technology than women do. I'll describe some new technology to my father-in-law, e.g., and I see the excitement in his eyes. My mother-in-law gives me that look that says "that's nice, but I'm not real interested in that." And the fact that a newspaper feels that that's news... that tells me that the newspaper industry is in real trouble. Next they'll be telling us that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west - BREAKING STORY!!

[Sharkie_Fan]

I'll add another to the "man driven family" column here.

Several years ago when we got our first big screen, I had $1000 to spend and went around shopping the ads and found a pretty nice 44" rear projection. Picture was pretty nice and the price was about $850 on sale at Circuit City. I took my wife with me to pick it up and before I flagged down a salesman I showed it to her. It was sitting next to a Sony 46". She looked at the one I picked, and at the Sony which was almost $1100 and told me "You can't buy that one - it's ugly. You have to buy the Sony, it looks better".

She could care less about the picture quality, as long as the TV is pretty. :)

As was pointed out before, I think this is pretty "typical". Not universal law, certainly, but I'd venture a guess that "most" families, the electronics decisions are driven by the man. Not becase the woman is incapable, but, because most women don't really care if the hockey game is in HD on a 60" plasma. Guys are like kids in a candy shop when new electronics come out. Unless it's life changing, most women are not that excited about the latest and greatest.

[jpl]

Guys are like kids in a candy shop when new electronics come out.

Couldn't agree more. I have to contain myself whenever I step foot into a Best Buy.

[P Smith]

Lucky you, don't Fry's there, right ? :D

[Pink Fairy]

It is actually torn in my house...I want the HD, so does my husband to an extent...our roomates insist it isn't worth it.

I am trying to push him for the tv so when the locals come online...hopefully on 04-04 like they say they will now, I will get the HD !

[Dolly]

How does he feel about Tennis? :grin:
Let's put it this way, if D never gets The Tennis Channel he won't mind a bit :lol: But I have actually gotten him to watch some tennis when it is on ESPN2 so maybe he will come around :) And I do agree that all that High Tech is more interesting to most men than it is to most women :yesman: Me I don't even understand Low Tech :confused:

[veryoldschool]

It is actually torn in my house...I want the HD, so does my husband to an extent...our roomates insist it isn't worth it.

I am trying to push him for the tv so when the locals come online...hopefully on 04-04 like they say they will now, I will get the HD !
Shhhh....you should get it because......shhhh.:D

[Sharkie_Fan]

Lucky you, don't Fry's there, right ? :D

The closest Fry's is about an hour away.... The bane of my existence. I've spent too much money (and way too much time) at that place... and yet I keep going back!

[P Smith]

Five of them surrounding in 9 miles raduis. :(

[celticpride]

I know what you mean,i once let my wife pick out the t.v. we bought, and she bought the 46'' rca tv that MATCHED the rest of our furniture. thank goodness the t,v, turned out o.k. ,but i really wanted the toshiba which was i believe 52'' and had bigger speakers.