Don’t mess with TiVo
Taking advantage of the new category MX5 created, comes this story (via Justin). The bad:
When it debuted in 1999, TiVo (news – web sites) revolutionized the TV experience by wresting control of screen time from advertisers, allowing viewers to record shows and skip commercials. TiVo’s slogan said it all: “TV your way.”
Behind the scenes, though, TiVo was courting advertisers, selling inroads to a universe most customers saw as commercial-free. The result is a groundbreaking new business strategy, developed with more than 30 of the nation’s largest advertisers, that in key ways circumvents the very technology that made TiVo famous.
By March, TiVo viewers will see “billboards,” or small logos, popping up over TV commercials as they fast-forward through them, offering contest entries, giveaways or links to other ads. If a viewer “opts in” to the ad, their contact information will be downloaded to that advertiser — exclusively and by permission only — so even more direct marketing can take place.
A few reasons I have TiVo include not having to watch commercials and it saves time (I can watch a thirty minute sitcom in 21 minutes). Bombarding me with commercials is annoying and I don’t like the idea. I also don’t like how TiVo sends me the occasional T-Mail message advertising something I’m not interested in. I like TiVo but I’d switch to DVR in the event TiVo starts regularly hitting me with crappy ads that I don’t want to see. TiVo hasn’t yet figured out that I don’t like to watch TV shows in Spanish, what makes them think they can target me with appropriate advertisements?
The good:
By late 2005, TiVo expects to roll out “couch commerce,” a system that enables viewers to purchase products and participate in surveys using their remote controls.
Perhaps even more significant is TiVo’s new role in market research. As viewers watch, TiVo records their collective habits — second by second — and sells that information to advertisers and networks. (It was TiVo that quantified the effect of Janet Jackson’s Super Bowl “wardrobe malfunction,” reporting a 180% increase in the number of replays reported by viewers.)
Privacy issues aside, that is pretty cool. In the event I do want to buy something, doing it through my remote would be pretty handy.
The ugly:
But what about TiVo’s devotees, those folks who send the company fan mail and photos of their pets posed with TiVo boxes, and act as missionaries, converting their friends to the technology?
Uhm, Ok.
TiVo is on the cusp of something big. Whether that cusp is keeping my business remains to be seen.
November 17th, 2004 at 5:27 pm
Well, the add thing already happens. you have noticed the thumbs up you get sometimes in the corner when a particlar add comes on, right? And since all of this seems to be opt0in instead of opt-out, I am pretty much okay with it.
November 17th, 2004 at 6:29 pm
Something I discovered as a tangent to all this — the 30 second skip is still in there. Select-play-select-3-0-select toggles it on and off. It uses the little ->| skip button. This morning (I’m home sick) was my first use of it, and I’m already hooked on it. Let them put their stupid little banners up. As long as this backdoor is still in, I don’t care.