How Disabling The PVR Fast-Forward Feature Is Stupid And Won't Happen
Friday August 25, 2006 | Permalink
This is an oldie, but still a very relevant goodie.
A couple months ago, there was news of television network executives being in talks with PVR manufacturers. They were trying to convince the manufacturers to disable the fast-forward (FF) feature in their personal video recorders to force viewers to watch the commercials. As expected, this was met with some pretty harsh criticism from PVR owners.
On the one hand, I understand that television broadcasters have to make a buck. Without the ad-based business model, we wouldn't have much of the television content we enjoy today. On the other hand, its my time, and my PVR. If I don't want to watch a commercial I've seen 1,000 times already, then I'll zip through it. Thanks.
I'm willing to bet that being forced (because that's what it is really) to view a set of commercials isn't going to go unnoticed by the PVR-buying public.
Technology is changing and so are the habits, and expectations, of viewers. The VCR's time-shifting feature gave everybody the taste of being able to record a show, then watch it later. Fast-forwarding of commercials was very much possible then, and it hasn't killed the television advertising industry. I'm not against marketing, but broadcasters and marketers absolutely have to change and adapt to the new viewer reality.
You can't force the public to watch something they don't want, and you can't remove a feature they've had in every single VCR and PVR since the early 1980's. Here's a crazy idea. You have to get viewers to want to watch the commercials
KFC aired a series of ads earlier in the year where viewers had to watch the commercial in slow-motion to get a glimpse of a special promotional code. Viewers would present it at their local KFC and get $1 off their new Buffalo Snacker burger. This is a brilliant way of getting viewers to want to watch a commercial.
I personally like watching funny commercials. I just love the Geico "Caveman" ads. Especially the one where the Geico rep is apologizing to the cavemen in the restaurant and one of them orders the roast duck. That cracks me up every time.
Product placement inside television shows is another way around the fast-forward problem. I'm not a fan of this because is usually comes across as an obvious plug and, in my opinion, diminishes the effectiveness of the "ad". If its done in a very subtle way, then I think it'll be more successful.
I'm virtually certain the fast-forward feature won't be touched in any way. Why? People don't like change unless the benefit its miles above what they're used to. Any PVR owner will tell you they'd never go back to using a VCR again. With that kind of following, disabling the fast-forward feature will turn a legion of fans into a huge PR nightmare for the manufacturers and broadcasters.
A couple months ago, there was news of television network executives being in talks with PVR manufacturers. They were trying to convince the manufacturers to disable the fast-forward (FF) feature in their personal video recorders to force viewers to watch the commercials. As expected, this was met with some pretty harsh criticism from PVR owners.
On the one hand, I understand that television broadcasters have to make a buck. Without the ad-based business model, we wouldn't have much of the television content we enjoy today. On the other hand, its my time, and my PVR. If I don't want to watch a commercial I've seen 1,000 times already, then I'll zip through it. Thanks.
I'm willing to bet that being forced (because that's what it is really) to view a set of commercials isn't going to go unnoticed by the PVR-buying public.
Technology is changing and so are the habits, and expectations, of viewers. The VCR's time-shifting feature gave everybody the taste of being able to record a show, then watch it later. Fast-forwarding of commercials was very much possible then, and it hasn't killed the television advertising industry. I'm not against marketing, but broadcasters and marketers absolutely have to change and adapt to the new viewer reality.
You can't force the public to watch something they don't want, and you can't remove a feature they've had in every single VCR and PVR since the early 1980's. Here's a crazy idea. You have to get viewers to want to watch the commercials
KFC aired a series of ads earlier in the year where viewers had to watch the commercial in slow-motion to get a glimpse of a special promotional code. Viewers would present it at their local KFC and get $1 off their new Buffalo Snacker burger. This is a brilliant way of getting viewers to want to watch a commercial.
I personally like watching funny commercials. I just love the Geico "Caveman" ads. Especially the one where the Geico rep is apologizing to the cavemen in the restaurant and one of them orders the roast duck. That cracks me up every time.
Product placement inside television shows is another way around the fast-forward problem. I'm not a fan of this because is usually comes across as an obvious plug and, in my opinion, diminishes the effectiveness of the "ad". If its done in a very subtle way, then I think it'll be more successful.
I'm virtually certain the fast-forward feature won't be touched in any way. Why? People don't like change unless the benefit its miles above what they're used to. Any PVR owner will tell you they'd never go back to using a VCR again. With that kind of following, disabling the fast-forward feature will turn a legion of fans into a huge PR nightmare for the manufacturers and broadcasters.
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