Cablevision to launch interactive commercials for couch potatoes
Filed under: Company News, Technology, Media
It's a time-honored television tradition: the direct-response ad, urging viewers to act now to order some gadget over the phone or online. Now, Cablevision (CVC) is aiming to make things even easier for couch potatoes with the introduction of interactive ads. Using pop-up or banner displays, the spots will prompt viewers to click on their remotes during commercials, with the promised reward of a coupon or product sample.The service will be introduced to Cablevision's 3 million iO TV digital cable subscribers in October, and the cable giant has signed up paint company Benjamin Moore as one of its first customers, according to Cablevision spokeswoman Charlstie Laytin. People who click on the Benjamin Moore ad will be sent a coupon for a free two-ounce color sample.
Consumers may now be ready for interactive ads because they've become more used to clicking on their remotes to navigate digital video recorders or DVDs, said Colin Dixon, a senior partner at research firm The Diffusion Group who focuses on digital media and broadband media.
The U.S. consumer "had been a very passive, sit-back-and-watch" type of TV viewer, which hurt interactive television's chances of success in the past, Dixon noted. But because the way consumers interact with their TVs has changed during the last few years, Dixon said Cablevision has picked a good time to start an interactive-ad service. "They'll probably get a good response rate," he predicted.
Interactive TV ads tend to have higher click rates of 2 to 3 percent, higher than the 0.27 percent click rate of traditional internet ads, said Rob Aksman, head of experience design at the interactive advertising firm BrightLine iTV. "There is less clutter in the TV space," Aksman said. And, he added, web surfers are more likely to be searching for specific information and aren't as easily distracted by ad messages.
To get viewers interested in its new interactive ads, Cablevision is airing a television spot to introduce consumers to the concept of the service, called Optimum Select. It's probably no accident that the spot shows a woman navigating what many might consider extremely annoying marketing experiences: getting bombarded by a car salesman and a perfume spritzer in a department store. The spot suggests Optimum Select will allow you to order a perfume sample rather than getting drenched with eau de toilette, or get information about a new sedan without sucked into a car salesman's spiel.
And that might be worth clicking on.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
9-16-2009 @ 2:17PM
Mark said...
It is great to see that Cablevision is creating and interactive service for its customers. A little history note is that the first interactive cable system that allowed home viewers to respond to programming or advertisements was created in 1977 by Warner Communications. It was called QUBE. Many of today's staples for TV and cable have their roots tracing back to the QUBE system in Columbus, Ohio.
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9-16-2009 @ 2:40PM
Robert Reddick said...
Reflecting on "The U.S. consumer "had been a very passive, sit-back-and-watch" type of TV viewer"... Exactly what other options do TV viewers have? Until iTV platforms are in place, there is nothing to do with TV in America BUT sit-back-and-watch.
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9-16-2009 @ 4:16PM
patton434 said...
Robert: Now that's not entirely true. My father isn't passive when watching television, he is always yelling at the NY Mets at the top of his lungs whenever they play. . . neighbors can testify to that.
9-16-2009 @ 3:05PM
Jim said...
Its about time we had some different commercials the ones they show now are for the brain dead. I think they are just tax write offs for the big companys. Personally I just tune them out or change channels, its hard to figure out what some of them are treying to sell.
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9-16-2009 @ 3:14PM
repukeslie7 said...
People still watch commercials? I have been interactive with my commercials for years. I have a DVR and fastforward through them. Watching commercials is for suckers who have too much time on their hands.
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9-16-2009 @ 5:06PM
Kalikkalack said...
Doesn't Dish Network already have these commercials? I'm pretty sure the History channel has a 'go interactive' popup too.
I love my DVR too!
9-16-2009 @ 3:22PM
upurs said...
it sounds similar to these new cars today...they do all kinds of things and tell you all kinds of things too...!..if we could just get these a$$hole manufactures to make these products so they pay for themselves too.instead making us pay for more garbage than we really need..!
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9-16-2009 @ 3:32PM
naberhaber said...
BEST commercial I've seen in years:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1PsaE7cYpo
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9-16-2009 @ 3:32PM
Lee Kyle said...
I was talking to my husband the other day about "wouldn't it be nice if tv suppliers would add a "don't ever show this commercial again" button"!!!!!!!!!!!! It's now obvious they can. It's also obvious by this news story that they won't!!!!!!!
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9-16-2009 @ 3:33PM
wth said...
Hey AOL ! Why can't you stop these people from putting this porn trash as comments on your site. You are the worst service.
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9-16-2009 @ 3:39PM
Red said...
TIVO has had these type of commercials for the last 4 years. No big deal.
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9-16-2009 @ 3:58PM
Robert said...
If you have TiVo or anything like it, they know what you are watching and what you like. Remember, during American Idol, they can predict who will win based on the number of people rewinding the singer. I wouldnt worry about governmental control as much as corporate control. They know exactly what we like to watch and eat, very scary if you think about it. This is why corporations dont want the government in their business. Hail to the Doritos, or Hail to the Pepsi. Be afraid, very afraid!!!!
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9-16-2009 @ 4:53PM
scott said...
I do not watch commercials! I record everything I want to see and watch it later and skip the commercials. Nothing but junk I dont need sold on there anyway. Besides commercials now days are the most ignorant things on t.v. At least years ago they made some sense. Now days after watching one you go what did that have to do with the product? For all our technological advances we have today this country seems to get dumber and dumber with each passing day.
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9-16-2009 @ 4:54PM
Brian said...
Great. Something else to keep the American public sitting on their rear ends watching the idiot box. And other countries wonder where we get the whole "fat and lazy American" persona. You want something "interactive", go out and play with your kids and family. There's more to do outside than inside.
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9-16-2009 @ 5:12PM
Pat said...
They might as well, they have added Louis Farakaan in my city I would rather interact with TV another way than jumping up and down screaming at this idiot every time I see his face, not that I watch him but you cannot help it if you are flipping channels
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9-16-2009 @ 5:17PM
mezl said...
seems people are allowing themselves to get sucked deeper and deeper into all this technology stuff. pretty soon the majority of people will be completely mindless, programmable robots. has any one read george orwell's books about the future? guess what... it's here. now. and it's only the beginning... brave new world? more like scary new world... people are losing their sense of self-sufficiency. giving them selves over to the wonders of techology... well. i think it's threatening, any way.
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9-16-2009 @ 6:18PM
Gary said...
Interactive commercials to BUY something while I'm paying money every month to just be annoyed by these rude, sickening intrusions? I don't think so! The only buttons on my remote I'll push are "mute" and "channel change"!
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9-16-2009 @ 7:25PM
bpridgell said...
I watch no television that has commercials, and haven't for 20 years, thanks to Stars, HBO, Showtime, Etc.
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9-16-2009 @ 10:26PM
kurt said...
Hay heres an idea....only pay for the channels that you want?????????
ya bunch of rip-off`s
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9-16-2009 @ 10:28PM
Kurt said...
REPORT ALL ADVERTISING to this link ....TOSPROFILEREPORT@ aol.com and also click on REPORT THIS next to there ADVERTISEMENT
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