Well, they have to drive revenue somehow. It's just a delicate balance, because if things get too obtrusive people will just tune out.
Networks plan attacks on ad skippers
According to The Hollywood Reporter: Don't touch that dial!
Whether using a split screen to keep the action going or recruiting celebrities to star in ad-sponsored micro-series, networks are continuing to experiment with ways to keep viewers tuned in during commercial breaks.
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Truth is, an awful lot of people use TimeShifting now to watch TV. That has got to be killing ad revenues. I watch all my primetime TV via DVR, and I skip past ALL commercials, however, I do back up to watch something that catches my eye.
Rare, but I do do it.
Rare, but I do do it.
If it's too obtrusive then I'll do something else. I have plenty of things to do. I've watched TV twice in the past month for example and it feels kind of free actually.
Plus the fact that teenagers and other young people today just don't watch TV anymore. Everything is online to them.
Plus the fact that teenagers and other young people today just don't watch TV anymore. Everything is online to them.
Even before the dvr, I never paid attention to commercials. Commercials were times to get a snack, flip channels, take a bathroom break or maybe take care of some quick household chore.
yeah, but it used to be they didn't know you were skipping the commercialssay-what said:Even before the dvr, I never paid attention to commercials. Commercials were times to get a snack, flip channels, take a bathroom break or maybe take care of some quick household chore.
David Letterman already does "commercials" in his show - sometimes it sneaks up on you and you don't realize until it's too late that he's pitching something, but I enjoy it for the fact he's so bitter and contemptuous or just plain silly when he does the plugs. I know for certain I will not buy the products simply because I didn't skip the "commercial", and I doubt my spending habits will change if more programs started following suit.
Oh, they knew. Even back in the 60's they already knew we were going to the kitchen for a snack during commercials. That's why commercials have always been louder than the tv shows.Doug Brott said:yeah, but it used to be they didn't know you were skipping the commercials
btw, advertisers, I will absolutely NOT buy any product that uses a doofy, balding, unkempt, clueless white guy for "comedic effect". EVER!
You don't beleive the TV stations and advertisers when they say that commercials are not louder?mystic7 said:Oh, they knew. Even back in the 60's they already knew we were going to the kitchen for a snack during commercials. That's why commercials have always been louder than the tv shows.
EVER!
Generally, it is not the stations that make the commercials louder, but the fact that the commercial's audio is processed in order to provide a much higher average level. This is done by the production company that produced the spot, not the station.
I'm not saying no stations have ever done what you say, but it is usually the commercial's audio processing that makes it stand out.
Of course, when we FF thru a commerical, we don't hear it, even if we do see some of it.
I'm not saying no stations have ever done what you say, but it is usually the commercial's audio processing that makes it stand out.
Of course, when we FF thru a commerical, we don't hear it, even if we do see some of it.
Oh great, more networks/channels doing more of the TNT type obnoxious advertising that just doesn't go away and nearly totally obliterates the material on the screen?
Just that much more reason to buy disc based content and ignore 'broadcast' content or content provided via traditional means.
Later, ratings dry up or never exist, and what could have, would have, should have been (like say Firefly) just disappears and we get stuck with more crappola that I won't care to watch and I'll be left looking at any of a hundred different movies or TV series that I'll have collected on disc.
Keep going Hollywood, keep going. I'll be happy to ignore your crap.
Just that much more reason to buy disc based content and ignore 'broadcast' content or content provided via traditional means.
Later, ratings dry up or never exist, and what could have, would have, should have been (like say Firefly) just disappears and we get stuck with more crappola that I won't care to watch and I'll be left looking at any of a hundred different movies or TV series that I'll have collected on disc.
Keep going Hollywood, keep going. I'll be happy to ignore your crap.
How does skipping ads affect ad revenues? Nobody watches commercials anyway, whether they just get up and go to the bathroom, or press fast-forward. And even when you do see a commercial, it's not like it's an online banner that you click and they get 1 cent for that.Knon2000 said:Truth is, an awful lot of people use TimeShifting now to watch TV. That has got to be killing ad revenues. I watch all my primetime TV via DVR, and I skip past ALL commercials, however, I do back up to watch something that catches my eye.
Rare, but I do do it.
Commercials are cool and all to help pay for our programming to offset some of the costs... but I honestly have never understood a lot of commercials.
I've long argued that the wrong companies are doing the bulk of the advertising.
I find it hard to believe, for example, that 99% of the TV-watching USA does not know about Pepsi, Coke, Budweiser, etc.
This summer advertising the new "Undercover Orange" flavor of Sierra Mist with the "Get Smart" tie-in makes sense as it advertises a new product... but I know full well regular Pepsi is on the shelf and where to get it. A regular-flavor Pepsi commercial is really a waste of good money that the company could be spending elsewhere.
Think about bread... you really don't see a lot of bread commercials on the air even though there are competing companies making bread products. Sure there are some commercials, but you can go days and weeks, maybe even months, before seeing one unless the company is also advertising a cake/pastry/donut or some other product as well.
I've long argued that the wrong companies are doing the bulk of the advertising.
I find it hard to believe, for example, that 99% of the TV-watching USA does not know about Pepsi, Coke, Budweiser, etc.
This summer advertising the new "Undercover Orange" flavor of Sierra Mist with the "Get Smart" tie-in makes sense as it advertises a new product... but I know full well regular Pepsi is on the shelf and where to get it. A regular-flavor Pepsi commercial is really a waste of good money that the company could be spending elsewhere.
Think about bread... you really don't see a lot of bread commercials on the air even though there are competing companies making bread products. Sure there are some commercials, but you can go days and weeks, maybe even months, before seeing one unless the company is also advertising a cake/pastry/donut or some other product as well.
And then there are those commercials for companies we couldn't buy products from if we wanted to, like DuPont. "We don't make the sled. We make the sled go faster".HDMe said:Commercials are cool and all to help pay for our programming to offset some of the costs... but I honestly have never understood a lot of commercials.
I've long argued that the wrong companies are doing the bulk of the advertising.
I find it hard to believe, for example, that 99% of the TV-watching USA does not know about Pepsi, Coke, Budweiser, etc.
This summer advertising the new "Undercover Orange" flavor of Sierra Mist with the "Get Smart" tie-in makes sense as it advertises a new product... but I know full well regular Pepsi is on the shelf and where to get it. A regular-flavor Pepsi commercial is really a waste of good money that the company could be spending elsewhere.
Think about bread... you really don't see a lot of bread commercials on the air even though there are competing companies making bread products. Sure there are some commercials, but you can go days and weeks, maybe even months, before seeing one unless the company is also advertising a cake/pastry/donut or some other product as well.
Right, America knows about these products...but for how long? There is much, much more to adverising than letting you know the producst exists.HDMe said:Commercials are cool and all to help pay for our programming to offset some of the costs... but I honestly have never understood a lot of commercials.
I've long argued that the wrong companies are doing the bulk of the advertising.
I find it hard to believe, for example, that 99% of the TV-watching USA does not know about Pepsi, Coke, Budweiser, etc.
How will Pepsi remain cool without its commercials to retain its cool image? How could it even have an image in the mind of the consumer, without advertising? It would become just another drink on the shelf.
Before long, people would be asking, "Whatever happened to Pepsi? I never hear about them."
One of the basic pillars of advertising is that the biggest-selling brands have to keep pounding and pounding. That's how they stay big.
I think longer and longer commerical breaks over the years is much of what drove users to cable and DVRs. Product placement is a smart idea but I am sure that will get out of hand as well. Soon I am afraid we will see commercial "bugs", (like the little cable network logos) displayed all through the shows. Eventially I believe the networks will demand a bigger cut from cable/sat companies to make up from lost commercial revenues.
We already see that on some shows .. I was watching The Best Dance Crew on MTV a couple of days back and there was a small "TV" in the upper left corner every 20-30 minutes with an ad for the show that was "coming up next" There are other examples, but it is already happening .. soon it will be on primetime shows I suspect.photostudent said:I think longer and longer commerical breaks over the years is much of what drove users to cable and DVRs. Product placement is a smart idea but I am sure that will get out of hand as well. Soon I am afraid we will see commercial "bugs", (like the little cable network logos) displayed all through the shows. Eventially I believe the networks will demand a bigger cut from cable/sat companies to make up from lost commercial revenues.
A company stays big by being good. Pepsi is a great example because people have to eat... so people will be in grocery stores regularly. At least once every 2 weeks, most folks probably every week, are in a store to buy food and drink. You can't miss seeing Pepsi in the store unless you don't go down that aisle. If Pepsi wants to advertise, then signs at the front of the store are the way to go. Commercials on TV are a waste in my opinion.paulman182 said:Right, America knows about these products...but for how long? There is much, much more to adverising than letting you know the producst exists.
How will Pepsi remain cool without its commercials to retain its cool image? How could it even have an image in the mind of the consumer, without advertising? It would become just another drink on the shelf.
Before long, people would be asking, "Whatever happened to Pepsi? I never hear about them."
One of the basic pillars of advertising is that the biggest-selling brands have to keep pounding and pounding. That's how they stay big.
I can't believe people would forget about Pepsi as long as it is on the shelves. Especially when you consider how many people aren't watching the commercials anyway (the topic of this very thread), which proves my point about unnecessary commercials.
IF commercials were more properly targeted and advertised new/emerging products mostly... I suspect less of us would skip them. The main reason why we skip so many commercials is because we know there is not likely to be new information there that we will miss. People hate missing out of stuff, so if we thought we might miss an ad for a new/exciting product, we'd be more inclined to sit and watch the commercials... but when you can count on commercials for product you already know about, you might as well skip them or make a bathroom/snack break and come back to watch your favorite show.
A good commercial campaign can make a big difference. Brand awareness is very important. The people at Coke and Pepsi would certainly agree as they have battled with and over it for decades.HDMe said:A company stays big by being good. Pepsi is a great example because people have to eat... so people will be in grocery stores regularly. At least once every 2 weeks, most folks probably every week, are in a store to buy food and drink. You can't miss seeing Pepsi in the store unless you don't go down that aisle. If Pepsi wants to advertise, then signs at the front of the store are the way to go. Commercials on TV are a waste in my opinion.
I can't believe people would forget about Pepsi as long as it is on the shelves. Especially when you consider how many people aren't watching the commercials anyway (the topic of this very thread), which proves my point about unnecessary commercials.
IF commercials were more properly targeted and advertised new/emerging products mostly... I suspect less of us would skip them. The main reason why we skip so many commercials is because we know there is not likely to be new information there that we will miss. People hate missing out of stuff, so if we thought we might miss an ad for a new/exciting product, we'd be more inclined to sit and watch the commercials... but when you can count on commercials for product you already know about, you might as well skip them or make a bathroom/snack break and come back to watch your favorite show.
Of course...one of the keys is having a "good" campaign...that means a commercial that attracts viewers AND causes them to remember the product/brand being advertised. The product doesn't have to necessarily be new...just the message...or at least interesting.
Years ago when they made commercials they would talk about feet of film shot per foot used. The ratio was around 30 to 1. A network TV show would run around 5 or 6 to 1. The advertisers knew they had to make it great to keep our attention. Think about the great TV campaigns of the past and think about them recently. There aren't many nowadays, but I bet most here can list twenty from years back they still remember and, to some extent, probably still affects their buying habits.
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