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Interactive Commercial Utilizes Tivo Features

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the making-commercials-right dept.

scrow writes "Marketing officers at Kentucky Fried Chicken's Yum! Brands Inc. have developed a commercial containing a hidden message for the viewers to find using their DVR systems. The aim is to combat the use of DVR devices, like Tivo, to skip advertising by introducing interactivity."

10 of 165 comments (clear)

  1. interactivity? by lonasindi · · Score: 5, Interesting

    if I want interactive, I use the computer.
    On the rare occasion I watch TV, I don't want to like, interact with the commercials. that's stupid.

  2. Can someone please post the code? by SengirV · · Score: 3, Funny

    So I don't have to actually watch the comercial.

    --

    Prof. Farnsworth - "Oh a lesson in not changing history from Mr I'm-My-Own-Grandpa!"

    1. Re:Can someone please post the code? by Bob+Cat+-+NYMPHS · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Your name, address, telephone number, and email address should be worth more then 99c.

      You agreed to this: (8) in general to promote and market our and our Affiliates' various businesses and products to you. These solicitations may take the form of mailings via U.S. mail or other couriers, telephone calls, e-mail solicitations and other methods of contact.

      Phone spam, snail spam, spam spam, Kentucky Fried Spam.

      --
      The latest Slashdot meme.
  3. Oblig Profit! by rob_squared · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Excellent idea

    1. Make ads for TV
    2. Slowly make them more annoying
    3. Discover that people are avoiding your ads like the plague
    4. Try to subvert to force said people to watch your ads
    5. ???
    6. Profit!

    --
    I don't get it.
    1. Re:Oblig Profit! by Vellmont · · Score: 3, Interesting


      5. ???

      People buy the product? Not everything is a dot com business model you know. I think the plan is pretty smart. It got some free advertising on Slashdot. Maybe other companies will start hiding things (like details for entering a sweepstakes) in commercials.

      --
      AccountKiller
  4. A few things by WeatherMatt · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Number one, they forget that not everyone owns a DVR to play back the commercial in slow-motion to even get the code. Number two, people don't watch commercials for gimmicky promotions. Why do so many people watch the Super Bowl for the ads rather than the game? Because the ads are enjoyable/entertaining in some way. Make them funny, and people will watch. While this doesn't guarantee people buying your product (which is what KFC is after) this does get them watching. I personally don't agree with how KFC is going about this. Why not just let the code be plainly visible rather than viewable only to the segment of the populace that has special equipment?

    1. Re:A few things by eln · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The people who don't have DVRs will just be forced to watch the commercial just like they always have. Sure, they won't get the promotion, but they'll still see a (hopefully effective) commercial. It's not like KFC is just going to show 30 seconds of a blank screen with one or two frames relevant to DVR owners.

      This is designed to entice people who ordinarily skip over commercials to actually watch them. TV commercials are all about creating brand awareness. If you don't have a DVR, you become aware of the brand by being forced to sit through their commercials. If you do have a DVR, presumably you need some sort of extra incentive (like a chance at a free sandwich) to watch the commercial.

  5. Let's analyze this headline! by generic-man · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The headline as of this writing is "Interactive Commercial Utilizes Tivo Features."

    The commercial is not "Interactive" because you must watch it repeatedly. You don't interact with the commercial; you interact with the company by doing something indicated subliminably* in the commercial.

    The commercial does not "utilize Tivo features" -- the summary actually states that it is meant to prevent users from fast-forwarding through it by implying that intellligent users might find something of value if they analyze it diligently enough. There are commercials which "utilize Tivo features" by employing a "PRESS THUMBS UP TO RECEIVE MORE ADS" button; this is not one of them.

    Therefore, this article should be retitled "Commercial."

    * Real word

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  6. Thumbs up to KFC by athakur999 · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Instead of being lawsuit crazy and trying to get people to watch their commercials by force, they gives incentives for people to watch their commercials voluntarily. Wish more advertisers would take this approach instead of making their ads steadily more annoying and intrusive.

    --
    "People that quote themselves in their signatures bother me" - athakur999
  7. The prize is a 99-cent chicken sandwich. by Animats · · Score: 3, Insightful
    "The prize is a coupon for KFC's new, sauce-drenched $0.99 Buffalo Snacker chicken sandwich."

    Big thrill.

    KFC is scary. The smallest dinner they sell is a reasonably-sized meal. Most of the meals they sell are far, far bigger. And I see "wide loads" in there buying entire buckets for themselves.