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TiVo Lets You Respond to Ads
WalletBoy writes "TiVo is implementing a new feature in their Series 2 recorders where viewers can choose to have their personal-contact information sent to advertisers when certain commercials air using just their remote control." This is actually exactly how I think advertising should work. If I want more information, I can press thumbs up and have my email address sent to the advertiser. It's opt-in. I'm sure it will work because they use the same concept for letting you record a show by pressing thumbs up when a commercial for it is airing. If only every commercial supported these functions. Now if only MTV would use the same thing to email me song info for videos I like instead of covering the screen in tacky text.
Don't like it. Too much potential for abuse.
Just imagine someone getting ahold of your remote and the 'fun' they could have with this feature at your expense.
Probably not. A good portion of advertising isn't there so that you have an immediate desire to go out and buy something. When Dunkin Donuts runs ads for their new random beverage, they don't figure that the thousands of people watching the game will go run out and buy a drink *that instant*.
But if you've got to choose between Dunkin Donuts and some place you've never heard of before, being familiar with the "variety" and "quality" of Dunkin Donuts products from their commercials, even if you're not a regular Dunkin customer, you may decide to walk in and grab a coffee there instead of the place across the street.
I mean, Beer ads don't really make me want beer, car ads don't make me want a car... almost any ad I've ever watched hardly makes me want anything (except sex, which seems to be the cardinal rule of good advertising - lots of sex appeal). I'd shut them all off if I could. I never have any intention of buying anything I don't "want". But who knows how the ads influence my purchasing decisions?
[on that note, yeah, it is excessive for tampon commercials to be piped into a house with 3 20-something guys as the only residents.]
There is no way I'm logging into my DVR when I watch TV, but not sure how they would work the demographics without 'switching' roles. What my bride, child, and I watch are quite different. That said, can't think why I would ever actually watch a commercial just to rate it. Bad enough I can only 'fast forward' rather than jump ahead on my DirectTV DVR.
+++ UGUCAUCGUAUUUCU
In the same vein, I'd like a button that tells them "This is the dumbest commercial I've ever seen...I will never buy this product and you need to fire your Ad agency."
$7.95/mo, 200 GB disk, 2TBxfer, MySQL, PHP, RoR.
Until you get that phone call from the wife/girlfriend - "Oh, honey, on your way [home|over] would you be a dear and stop by and pick up some tampons for me..."
At which point you will probably grab whatever has a brand name on it you recognize and get the heck out of hte store as quick as you can.
Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos
You miss the point.
Advertisers don't care if their ads are good. They just want their products name in your head when you need something of that class of item. All else being equal, you'll probably buy the brand thats in your head when you go out to buy that class of item.