We started with Showcases and those “yellow star” menu items, then graduated to the pop-up ads, followed by advertising masquerading as downloadable video, and just this week Product Watch commercials-on-demand were launched. Having fun yet? Now the already cluttered Series 2 Music, Photos, Products, and More area is gaining a custom Lexus application. Would you like a little TV with your commercial?
See comments below for more opinion…
TiVo says: TiVo Inc., the creator and a leader in advertising solutions and television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today unveiled the first advertiser custom application, the Lexus Car Configuration Tool, that will be integrated into a Showcase on the TiVo(R) service. Adding to TiVo’s advertising product portfolio, the custom application provides advertisers with increased consumer engagement through unique interactive elements and an increased response rate over traditional campaigns.
“Delivering the first advertiser custom application on TiVo boxes allows us to further our lead in the industry in providing interactive and integrated advertising solutions through the television,” said Davina Kent, Vice President, National Advertising Sales, TiVo. “TiVo is committed to developing products and partnering with innovative advertisers to deliver relevant, interactive advertising that enhances the overall entertainment experience for TiVo subscribers. It is through TiVo’s unique technology that consumers have the ability to spend as much time as they choose to with an advertisement, while ensuring that they do not miss a second of their programming.”Through a complete integration with TiVo’s advertising products, this new custom application will now let TiVo subscribers with a broadband-connected TiVo(R) Series2(TM) DVR customize the new 2007 Lexus ES 350, learn more about Lexus’ newest model, experience an ES 350 photo slideshow, request a dealer contact to schedule a test drive, and locate the Lexus dealer closest to their home, all from the comfort of their living room.
“We’re thrilled to expand our advertising relationship with TiVo, making it more convenient than ever for consumers to learn about the new Lexus ES 350,” said Deborah Meyer, Lexus vice president of marketing. “TiVo gives their subscribers the opportunity to control their media, allowing them to tune into what they want, when they want and helping them to discover something new. We believe that TiVo interactive advertising allows us to reach consumers in an innovative and unique way.”
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Sorry Dave I don't see the problem, the minute they try to force us to watch commercials I (and the rest of the TiVo subscriber base) will be up and arms and head down to Alvisio with torches in hand.
Look at how the whole "popup while fast forwarding" fiasco went down, though that failure was partially because technical problems (I suspect on the part of oversealous brodcasters) which caused the ads to pop up over actual shows instead of just commercial breaks.
TiVos current commercial offerings don't bother me because they are easy enough to ignore. Admittedly the commercials on demand hasn't landed on either of my TiVos yet so I can't speak to that.
No, we're not being forced to watch commercials. But paid advertising is intruding more and more into the TiVo interface by adding the Product Watch folder to the top of you Now Playing menu and adding another sponsored HME app that further obscures my personal photo and music collection.
So where will they draw the line, Robert? Obviously that line varies person to person... I've been fairly tolerant in recognizing and supporting TiVo's need to generate money, but I hope they consider how these actions impact their customers. TiVo charges a premium price for premium service that is being diluted with paid advertising. Further, TiVo's pitch offends my intelligence: "It's included free with your monthly service charge!" Great, free advertising - that is exactly the reason I bought my TiVo!
Am I jumping ship? Heck no! But these advertisements don't make me as feel warm and fuzzy as the little TiVo guy used to make me. These ?feature enhancements? just give me one more reason to recommend a generic DVR to my uninitiated friends/family.
If TiVo was really clever, they?d reduce my monthly bill by 25 cents for every one minute of advertising I watch - TiVo wins, advertisers win, Dave wins. ;)
Heh I have no monthly bills from TiVo :)
I guess I'm still at the point now where the new ads & features aren't intrusive to me, I'm sure that TiVo is trying to keep it at that point for most users, of course some people are more sensitive than others to this sort of thing, and some people would tolerate crazy stuff like being forced to watch an ad before watching a show and being prevented from fast forwarding through certian commercials.
As for the new ads on demand being a "feature" from my point of view that's not really that unrealistic, then again I don't use 30 second skip and have been known to back up to watch a commercial if it catches my eye while I'm fast forwarding. As I've mentioned before the super bowl is pretty good evidence that commercials can be entertainment in their own right, of course that sadly applys to a tinyt minority of commercials.
On the other hand for particular annoying commercials (like the GE dancing elephant one which gets under my skin for some indescribable reason) I'll hit pause if watching live TV and wait 30 seconds so I can fast forward through and not be subjected to it.