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Unicast Claims Success With Internet Commercials

Posted by timothy on from the what-else-would-they-claim dept.

LightForce3 writes "Remember that trial run of full-motion commercials on sites like ESPN.com and MSN? The BBC reports that Unicast, whose caching technology makes these ads work, is claiming a strong favorable response from Internet users who viewed the advertisements. It looks like they could now be making long-term deals with clients (the article mentions Forbes.com and weather.com). As a dialup user, I am less than thrilled about the idea of an extra 2 MB download each time I visit one of these sites."

2 of 284 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Technical Background? by skyhawker · · Score: 5, Insightful
    It downloads and installs client software that runs 24/7 in the background
    I guess it's convenient that Microsoft is one of the players in this game. Don't their current EULA's essentially force you to authorize them to download and install system "upgrades" at their will? I'm beginning to get the idea that "trusted computing" and "digital rights management" are not necessarily being implemented with the consumer's benefit in mind.
    --

    The best diplomat I know is a fully activated phaser bank.
    -- Scotty.
  2. The web is not TV by tetrode · · Score: 5, Insightful

    REPEAT: THE WEB IS NOT TV

    It's almost too obvious a point, but apparently it bears repeating: The more the Web is like TV, the less we need it. TV already does a pretty effective job of delivering what Net content people call "broadband multimedia information and entertainment" to the home, and most consumers already own the hardware. What sells the Internet to newbies is its promise of things TV can't deliver: "many-to-many" communication via bulletin boards and e-mail; interactive services that go beyond catalog shopping; quirky content unavailable on TV's limited number of channels; specific, accurate information that's there when you need it, whether it's sports stats, stock quotes or plane-ticket availability.

    from: http://archive.salon.com/march97/21st/webtv970327. html

    Seven years later, and it still counts. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it. People will either block those ads, or go to other sites. Just like TCP, they will learn to route around the problem.

    The web is not TV, it is not a one way communication channel where you can shove as much commercial bullshit to the other side as your CFO requires you to do. You don't have regulations on the number of channels, you have an unlimited number of them, and they get popular or less populer in a matter of days/weeks/months.