TV Ads Get Interactive

TiVo, AKA the box that killed TV advertising, is attempting to bring it back by selling interactive ad spaces. And TiVo isn’t the only one. Time Warner and DirecTV are among those jumping in to the space.

So how does it work? When viewers hit pause or fast-forward, ads appear as either a small piece of text or as a static box. Tourism Australia bought an interactive ad showing a photograph of a girl on a beach with the caption, “Don’t tell me I just skipped the Australia ad!” The TiVo viewer can then press a Thumbs Up button to view the ad and find out more information. After interacting with the ad, the viewer can choose to see additional information, request a coupon, watch a video about the product etc.

Another flavor of interactive advertising is that offered by Cablevision. Companies, like Disney, can buy entire video-on-demand channels. Disney is currently running videos about its amusement parks, which display a “talk to agent” button. If a viewer selects the button, they receive an immediate call from a Disney representative.

I think it’s a great way to extend a brand experience. And really, who’s looking at the ads on TV now anyway? “Interruption” advertising is annoying and, really, other than offering a convenient bathroom break, what value do they offer?

Because these new ads are interactive and therefore measureable, we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg. Eventually, the TV will become a truly social space, where viewers can interact with others while watching TV.

For more information, go to the NYtimes.