Mele’s Musings

Will Content and Commercials Merge?

AdAge recently ran an article which highlighted the “intrusion” of a commercial message into the 30 Rock program.  The article notes that we might be reaching a time when the line between ad and show will blur significantly.

link to video

There are a few interesting things about the article.  One is that the article delineated between ads that have a dual purpose - advertising both the show and the product - and the Dr. Pepper ad which ran on 30 Rock which just focused on the product.  Not sure I agree with the delineation, but it is interesting that right after the ad they ran the credits for the show.

Another is the reaction from readers.  Most felt that there was nothing new about the ad, that this ad and others like it have been seen before.  Others seemed to be upset or frustrated by the article, and one other even claimed that he never saw any backlash when things like this were done in novels from the 1800’s - which seems an incredible piece of memory and/or research.

The most interesting aspect of the article for me, however, was the idea that television studios are going to continue to figure out ways to make ads “unskippable” by integrating them more deeply into shows.  I think this is a really interesting concept, and one worth diving into further as it could have significant impact on what is considered a “show” and what is considered a “commercial.”

Yes, it is true that a lot of this is not new.  Product pitching in shows has been around for a long time.  Just ask AT&T and Coke how much they pay to have their products integrated into American Idol. 

And companies have been playing with sponsor-driven shows forever.  The soap-opera are the earliest examples, but brands playing with branded entertainment and online shows or “webisodes” are just the latest incarnation.

However, it does make one wonder how long it will be before the division of ad and show get more and more blurred.  As measurement techniques become more precise, and once we know how much people actually watch TV commercials as opposed to skipping over them, changing the channel, ignoring, etc., the more we will see this kind of blurring, one would think, so that the networks and cable channels can continue to see the ad dollars flowing in.

The real turning point, it seems to me, will come when marketers are able to really allow their products to be part of the show in natural ways.  Right now it seems that most product placements and sponsored call-outs are ham-handed and obvious.  The position of the Coke glass in front of Simon is just a bit too staged.  And even though the Dr. Pepper ad is a “part” of the show, it is still an obvious product placement and ad.  What will happen when the need to standout will fade away entirely?  And what will cause it to happen?

Interactive video may be the answer. 

Imagine a future in which users can click on the clothes, shoes, food, cars, light fixtures, etc. in a TV program or on a webisode, and be able to find, research, and buy those products directly.  Rather than having to actively interrupt content, advertisers may simply become a part of the program.  Literally.

Users are already comfortable with this in web-page environments.  It is not a far cry to think of a day when this comfort will move to other formats as well.  As video becomes more and more interactive - particularly as it begins to live and thrive on different platforms like the iPad, computers, and other portable media devices - we could see this happen more and more.

It will be entertaining to watch over the next several years.  I do think we will continue to see ads like the Dr. Pepper 30 Rock ad becoming more and more common in the near future.  It will be groundbreaking, however, when the interactivity really changes advertising in more traditional formats.

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