TV Execs Want to Give TiVo the Heave-Ho
An increasing number of people are taking steps to avoid watching TV commercials and, of course, that isnít sitting well with TV networks and their advertisers. An article in the New York Times on 5/17 reported on the growing tensions between the two groups because of the "TiVo problem." Today, one in eight households own a digital video recorder (DVR), allowing them to watch TV shows without the ads. By 2008, one in four households are expected to have such devices. And now that Nielsen Media Research measures the number of households who digitally record shows and then watch them later, advertisers are using that information to negotiate lower ad rates.
Matt's View
One "solution" the networks are turning to more frequently is "Branded Entertainment," otherwise known as "product integration." This includes mentioning brands in a show's dialogue, placing products in shows, and having a product become an integral part of the plot (think Apprentices working on new marketing ideas for branded products).
Product integration has been around since well before Reese's Pieces appeared in E.T. And while Iím generally resistant to what often seems like the wallpapering of our culture with product pitches, there are some types of product placements I don't mind. On the Extreme Makeover Home Edition episodes I've seen, for example, Iíve never been offended by what usually seems like fairly brief displays of logos from companies providing materials to build homes for people in need.
What's your point of view on "product integration?" Has it gone too far, or is it okay? Send me your opinion by clicking here .
This article filed in: Marketing
Managing Money by The Book
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