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Worried About Time Shifted Viewing? Help is on the Way

August 01, 2008

Posted by: Peter Infante in Consumer

How could a television advertiser not be worried?  Digital Life America just released research indicating that 65% of DVR owners say they “always” skip television commercials when playing back recorded programs.  That’s up 20% from just one year ago.

Fear not, TV advertiser, the Podbusters are coming.  You’ll hear them referred to as mini-sodes, micro-series and bit-coms.  In essence, they are brief programs the networks will run between commercials to help retain viewer attention.  Many will feature actors from the programs they are interrupting, and some will include sponsorship opportunities.  The networks hope this special content will provide enough value to dissuade viewers from hitting that fast forward button.

Over time, we have adjusted our television placement strategies in response to the growth of DVRs.  We will eagerly watch and evaluate the effectiveness of podbusters as part of our commitment to optimizing our clients’ media.