Comments on: Future of Television II: the multiplicity play http://cultureby.com/2006/04/future_of_telev.html This Blog Sits At the Intersection of Anthropology and Economics Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:54:55 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Overworm http://cultureby.com/2006/04/future_of_telev.html/comment-page-1#comment-4490 Overworm Fri, 14 Apr 2006 15:42:49 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-4490 <p>I'm not sure if ads can be engaging enough to ensure people watch them. And even if an ad somehow captures your attention enough for someone to watch it once, how many people are going to choose to watch the same ad fifty times over the course of a month of television watching? That $2M Superbowl ad might be hilarious and surprising the first time, but by the fifth viewing I'm not paying attention any more.</p> <p>I see the future of television advertising in product placement. Jack Bauer spends half an episode running from terrorists, then pauses to quench his thirst with Gatorade. James Bond escapes from a horde of assassins by hopping into a convertible BMW and speeding away along a winding road. One of the housewifes on Desperate Housewifes reaches into her Prada pocketbook to retrieve a Colt .45 which she aims at a neighbor.</p> <p>Or maybe we move back to the early days of television, where an entire show is presented by a single advertiser. This model is already used on some cable channels. I think it's AMC that says, "this movie is brought to you by ...", and instead of normal commercial breaks, the host repeats that message a few times during the movie.</p> <p>It's just that, for the life of me, I can't envision a commercial so engaging that I would choose to watch it repeatedly. Then again, maybe in this new advertising world, advertisers would create many more versions of their ads than they currently do. By 2007, maybe Gillette would release ten times more ads than they did in 2005. </p> <p>Maybe we'll see more serialized advertising, with a mini-storyline unfolding over the course of four ads released in successive weeks. Or maybe even released over the course of one television show.</p> <p>Another fine topic, Grant.</p> I'm not sure if ads can be engaging enough to ensure people watch them. And even if an ad somehow captures your attention enough for someone to watch it once, how many people are going to choose to watch the same ad fifty times over the course of a month of television watching? That $2M Superbowl ad might be hilarious and surprising the first time, but by the fifth viewing I'm not paying attention any more.

I see the future of television advertising in product placement. Jack Bauer spends half an episode running from terrorists, then pauses to quench his thirst with Gatorade. James Bond escapes from a horde of assassins by hopping into a convertible BMW and speeding away along a winding road. One of the housewifes on Desperate Housewifes reaches into her Prada pocketbook to retrieve a Colt .45 which she aims at a neighbor.

Or maybe we move back to the early days of television, where an entire show is presented by a single advertiser. This model is already used on some cable channels. I think it's AMC that says, "this movie is brought to you by …", and instead of normal commercial breaks, the host repeats that message a few times during the movie.

It's just that, for the life of me, I can't envision a commercial so engaging that I would choose to watch it repeatedly. Then again, maybe in this new advertising world, advertisers would create many more versions of their ads than they currently do. By 2007, maybe Gillette would release ten times more ads than they did in 2005.

Maybe we'll see more serialized advertising, with a mini-storyline unfolding over the course of four ads released in successive weeks. Or maybe even released over the course of one television show.

Another fine topic, Grant.

]]> By: free advertising http://cultureby.com/2006/04/future_of_telev.html/comment-page-1#comment-4489 free advertising Fri, 14 Apr 2006 15:02:35 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-4489 <p>It's true that more people will skip less if the ads are more engaging.</p> It's true that more people will skip less if the ads are more engaging.

]]> By: Candy Minx http://cultureby.com/2006/04/future_of_telev.html/comment-page-1#comment-4488 Candy Minx Thu, 13 Apr 2006 19:25:29 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-4488 <p>Love your blog. I am in heaven. Thanks for all the hard work and viewing and looking you do. I love good commercials. Most of the time, I record my shows and watch later. there is another component here. My poor boyfriend. he watches news, spanish music videos, Asian tv, and movies. The tv is a kind of ambient company while he makes art work. Me I am a freak for tv. I watch all the kooky low brow reality tv, Survivor, Beauty and The Geek, The Bachelor, Surreal Life and lots of "classy tv" House, West Wing, Law and Order, Greys Anatomy, Gilmore Girls. So I record a lot so that he doesn't have to hear it in our studio environment. I fast forward the ads. This also allows for more pure tv viewing heh heh. I can squeeze another hour of shows in my day. For example, American Idol drops down to about a 30 minute show!!! Giving me room to watch So Notorious.</p> <p>I adore you and your books, Big Hair is my Koran and Rig Veda. (oh gosh, I hope you are the same McCracken!)</p> <p>I linked your blog to mine,</p> <p>happy viewing<br /> Cheers,<br /> Candy</p> Love your blog. I am in heaven. Thanks for all the hard work and viewing and looking you do. I love good commercials. Most of the time, I record my shows and watch later. there is another component here. My poor boyfriend. he watches news, spanish music videos, Asian tv, and movies. The tv is a kind of ambient company while he makes art work. Me I am a freak for tv. I watch all the kooky low brow reality tv, Survivor, Beauty and The Geek, The Bachelor, Surreal Life and lots of "classy tv" House, West Wing, Law and Order, Greys Anatomy, Gilmore Girls. So I record a lot so that he doesn't have to hear it in our studio environment. I fast forward the ads. This also allows for more pure tv viewing heh heh. I can squeeze another hour of shows in my day. For example, American Idol drops down to about a 30 minute show!!! Giving me room to watch So Notorious.

I adore you and your books, Big Hair is my Koran and Rig Veda. (oh gosh, I hope you are the same McCracken!)

I linked your blog to mine,

happy viewing
Cheers,
Candy

]]> By: auto http://cultureby.com/2006/04/future_of_telev.html/comment-page-1#comment-4487 auto Thu, 13 Apr 2006 19:21:22 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-4487 <p>There's too much of an inside baseball feel to this post -- too much jargon and insider-speak requiring me to decode it before I comprehend. </p> <p>That McSweeney quote in point seven -- just what, precisely, do her words mean? They sound so vague and diplomatic that I'm not certain I really get her meaning.</p> <p>Please translate, Grant. </p> There's too much of an inside baseball feel to this post — too much jargon and insider-speak requiring me to decode it before I comprehend.

That McSweeney quote in point seven — just what, precisely, do her words mean? They sound so vague and diplomatic that I'm not certain I really get her meaning.

Please translate, Grant.

]]> By: Bryan http://cultureby.com/2006/04/future_of_telev.html/comment-page-1#comment-4486 Bryan Thu, 13 Apr 2006 17:39:08 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-4486 <p>Anyone see this post from Mark Cuban? <a href="http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000397073629/" rel="nofollow">http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000397073629/</a></p> <p>He says, "I think the traditional commercial break will be the salvation of TV."</p> Anyone see this post from Mark Cuban? http://www.blogmaverick.com/entry/1234000397073629/

He says, "I think the traditional commercial break will be the salvation of TV."

]]> By: John Galvin http://cultureby.com/2006/04/future_of_telev.html/comment-page-1#comment-4485 John Galvin Wed, 12 Apr 2006 13:35:48 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-4485 <p>For an interesting parallel conversation (from the tech-geek perspective), you may want to check out the conversation on digg.com about the Disney plan:</p> <p><a href="http://digg.com/technology/Catch_Lost_Alias_Online_a_Day_Later_-_With_Unskippable_Ads" rel="nofollow">http://digg.com/technology/Catch_Lost_Alias_Online_a_Day_Later_-_With_Unskippable_Ads</a><br /> </p> For an interesting parallel conversation (from the tech-geek perspective), you may want to check out the conversation on digg.com about the Disney plan:

http://digg.com/technology/Catch_Lost_Alias_Online_a_Day_Later_-_With_Unskippable_Ads

]]> By: Seth http://cultureby.com/2006/04/future_of_telev.html/comment-page-1#comment-4484 Seth Wed, 12 Apr 2006 11:25:19 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-4484 <p>Grant,</p> <p>One thing you might have missed regarding ABC's move - it directly attacks the Slingbox/place shifting model. It's easier [and cheaper] to view ABC content online, even with "unskippable" commercials, than to set up a Slingbox and watch your DVR online.</p> <p>As a Disney shareholder, I'm agnostic on the move, but as a tech writer I'm not so sure the technology will be widely embraced. Wouldn't the most logical solution just be a next-day on demand channel? </p> Grant,

One thing you might have missed regarding ABC's move – it directly attacks the Slingbox/place shifting model. It's easier [and cheaper] to view ABC content online, even with "unskippable" commercials, than to set up a Slingbox and watch your DVR online.

As a Disney shareholder, I'm agnostic on the move, but as a tech writer I'm not so sure the technology will be widely embraced. Wouldn't the most logical solution just be a next-day on demand channel?

]]> By: Grant http://cultureby.com/2006/04/future_of_telev.html/comment-page-1#comment-4483 Grant Tue, 11 Apr 2006 23:17:32 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-4483 <p>Carol Gee, thanks, yes, you would think that good advertising would be the answer to the TIVO challenge. A kind of "creative, heal they self..." deal. Thanks, Grant</p> Carol Gee, thanks, yes, you would think that good advertising would be the answer to the TIVO challenge. A kind of "creative, heal they self…" deal. Thanks, Grant

]]> By: Carol Gee http://cultureby.com/2006/04/future_of_telev.html/comment-page-1#comment-4482 Carol Gee Tue, 11 Apr 2006 23:07:49 +0000 http://grantmccracken.com/cco/http:/grantmccracken/page-title#comment-4482 <p>Grant, great post, with a /welcome view inside the thought processes of the decision-makers at Disney. They are certainly self-confident with their "lean-forward" predictions. Don't think so, somehow. Not me nor my 40-something adult kids with families. There are about a dozen TV ads I just love, but I endure the others. Thanks for the post.</p> Grant, great post, with a /welcome view inside the thought processes of the decision-makers at Disney. They are certainly self-confident with their "lean-forward" predictions. Don't think so, somehow. Not me nor my 40-something adult kids with families. There are about a dozen TV ads I just love, but I endure the others. Thanks for the post.

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