Business: Advertising: Media: Television
eFFliminal   (+20, -5)  [vote for, against]
Subliminal TV ads that work only when fast forwarding commercials

Since Tivo is worrying network executives silly, their advertising broadcasts should include special commercials that are visible only when fast forwarding
-- theircompetitor, Nov 17 2005

(?) Tivo's New Ads http://customersupp.../public/tv2187.htm?
Completely, totally, utterly baked. [migennes, Nov 18 2005]

(?) "Icon" ads over commercials at TiVo http://www.pvrblog....con_ads_over_c.html
Better link, with pic [migennes, Nov 18 2005]

(?) Tivo's seach ads service http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10239645/
[theircompetitor, Nov 28 2005]

(?) Must Watch Ads http://abcnews.go.c...ireStory?id=1863319
Must Watch Ads [theircompetitor, Apr 21 2006]

(?) FOX image ads http://www.examiner...ast_Forwarding.html
getting baked [theircompetitor, Sep 22 2006]

(?) KFC embedded ads http://publications...ticle&art_aid=81358
[theircompetitor, May 02 2008]

Ha!
-- DrCurry, Nov 17 2005


Brilliant. Patent. (Also rapidly flipping through magazine subliminal suggestions, as in the flipping comic drawing outlines.) +
-- blissmiss, Nov 17 2005


Inspired. watch them at normal speed for added entertainment.
-- moomintroll, Nov 17 2005


Maybe they could *only* make commercials that are visible only in fast forward. That way we wouldn't have to fast forward through them.
-- wagster, Nov 17 2005


Eh? So we could play it at normal speed and watch a blank screen for five minutes?
-- moomintroll, Nov 17 2005


I like it! Are you going to eat that?
-- reensure, Nov 17 2005


Subliminal messages incenting you to stop fast-forwarding through commercials.
-- phundug, Nov 17 2005


I heard this suggested on Marketplace on PBS on my drive home on 11/16/05.
-- normzone, Nov 17 2005


Were they interviewing [theircompetitor]?
-- bristolz, Nov 17 2005


Are you serious, [normzone] -- that's funy. I was listening to a CNBC discussion re: Tivo when I thought of the idea, because there was this statement from the networks about increased viewership -- but the idea is mine, I tell you, mine alone!
-- theircompetitor, Nov 17 2005


Doesn't it already work that way? Since you are fast-forwarding to avoid commercials on one channel, you often see nothing but commercials on the other channels. You are already familiar with them, since they are broadcast to the point of nausea, so even a quick glimpse recapitulates the experience. If you're going to have anything subliminal, it should be the actual programs:

"Wait...go back! You just passed Seinfeld."
"How do you know that?"
"It's weird...I just got this feeling!"
-- ldischler, Nov 17 2005


I am not sure how this could be done. In real time, wouldn't these commercials just look painfully slow? Plus, FF cuts out audio (such a tragedy!) so they would need to be silent.
-- bungston, Nov 18 2005


Charlie Chaplin pitches
-- theircompetitor, Nov 18 2005


Tivo already basically does this (see links). They show ads over the real ads that you are trying to fastforward through. They are shown so briefly that the effect is almost subliminal.

I am not unlucky enough to have experienced this on either of my Tivos, but I've seen reports on various blogs.
-- migennes, Nov 18 2005


migennes, reread the idea.

The point is to create ads that are visible during fast forwarding, but do so in a way that does not depend on the DVR manufacturer. The DVRmanufacturer is in position to know what is being advertised, and is not under control of the network
-- theircompetitor, Nov 18 2005


Yes, but how?
-- wagster, Nov 18 2005


I'm sorry, I'm a little lost. You want ads that do "not depend on the DVR manufacturer" and you also want the DVRmanufacturer to not be "under control of the network." If networks can create ads and force them on the viewing public with the DVRmanufacturer's knowledge but not their consent, then the DVRmanufacturer cannot control the network. Can you help me figure out what you mean?
-- migennes, Nov 18 2005


what I mean is you came up with an example of Tivo showing ads when the FF button is pressed.

Whereas I was talking about the show's producers showing the ads they want to show -- and have been paid to show -- by encoding those ads somehow into the video they broadcast.
-- theircompetitor, Nov 18 2005


Gets my +
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Nov 18 2005


Those poor network executives.
-- jellydoughnut, Nov 19 2005


What was suggested in the radio program I heard was designing ads that were interesting to watch when they were fast-forwarded.
-- normzone, Nov 19 2005


Got it. (-).

I see the future of advertising as product placement. Sucks even more than ads, because you can't fast forward.

If I was a network executive or an ad agency executive, I'd give it a (+), but I'm not, I'm a member of the viewing public, and I want the option of skipping boring ads and only watching good ones!
-- migennes, Nov 19 2005


yep, that's why it's in the public:evil category
-- theircompetitor, Nov 19 2005


This is already done prior to this discussion. It's really not too novel.

The easiest way is for them to just show their brand images (colors, symbols, etc) throughout, so that FF will still increase their "brand" branding in your skulls through your eyes. This is 50%+ of the goal of ads to begin with.

A good example is the Target ads in the US. By consistent use of a shade of red, you know....
-- sophocles, Nov 28 2005


sophocles, my point here was to draw attention to the new Must Watch Ads link.
-- theircompetitor, Apr 21 2006


See the KFC embedding ads
-- theircompetitor, May 02 2008



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