OB1og

Why are the Nielsen ratings even tallied? These days – more people are prone to tape, Tivo and DL their favorite show and watch it when they want to. The days of appointment viewing are waning – and good riddance, I say. Why should I have to bust my a$$ to get home for the two-hour 24 finale (which overlaps the 2 hour Alias finale) when I can rip ’em both to a DVD or Hard drive and watch at my leisure. All of which makes the networks’ reliance on Nielsen as a barometer to success, all the more baffling. It’s akin to me trying to adjust the reception of my digital cable with rabbit ears. Look at The Office – the only thing that saved that show from going the way of Freaks and Geeks was record-breaking numbers of people scoring the show off of iTunes – which has led to more shows being offered in alternate venues.

Why is it that Sean and I can pontificate with such clarity on what’s broken in La La Land – neither one of us ever having stepped foot in a Studio City boardroom – yet those same suits can’t figure out that they might be able to make Invasion into a break-out hit by exploiting the TV on DVD trend.. That example has me increasingly vexed. Here’s a quality show that started slow and picked up some real steam over the past 10 weeks – but due to high production costs and mediocre ratings – it’s cancelled just as its getting great. A little out-of-the-box thinking (actually in-the-box thinking these days) would have allowed the show to be released on DVD – marketed the release (hell – put a free ep on a DVD and package it with Entertainment Weekly – like they did with My Name is Earl) and then give Shawn Cassidy a 1/2 season committment to either boost ratings or close the show out proper. That’s the networks for ya’ – always behind.

Look at Lost. The producers have lobbied for a straight run of 22 eps since last season – to avoid the lengthy hiatus’ that occurs in a 38 week season – breaks that drain a dramatic series of momentum. The producers looked to cable shows like The Sopranos and The Shields as benefiting from these straights runs. Fox stepped up to the plate and gave 24 that run – starting with last year’s Season 4 – and that show has enjoyed its greatest success to date. Next year, Lost runs 7 eps – takes a hiatus – and then retuns with another 15 straight. That’s a start!!!

I don’t understand the network’s interest in keeping “Deal or No Deal” alive either. The show is boring and although I don’t see Scrubs that often, it definitely deserves a spot over Howie. I, too, will be back to watch “How I Met Your Mother” next season. Great show!

Using Tivo or a DVR to skip commercials is a big thing these days. Network television and basic cable remain relatively cheap due to ads, but what happens when advertisers discover their prime demographics are skipping them entirely?

Initially, I suspect they’ll try to fight the technology. They’ll lose that fight, and eventually we’ll see a paradigm shift of some sort. I wonder if they’ll start using a lot more product placement within programs–isn’t that already starting to happen? I hear Coke is all over 24. And certainly all the reality shows use tons of product placement.

I haven’t seen a Coke anywhere in 24 so if they’re placing product – they’re not doing a great job of it. I do see plenty of Ford trucks getting prime face time – and it’s been like that since Season 2. In fact – Ford sponsored a commercial free season premiere a couple years back.

[…] Sean has an interesting article over on his site where he discusses the major television network’s recent Upfront press meetings – the annual Spring event where they trot out their new fall lineups and dance upon the fresh carcasses (carcassi???) of the quality shows they killed in favor of five straight nights of American Idol, American Idol Tostitosâ„¢ Pre-Game Show, American Idol: The Results Show, American Idol Blunders, Bleeps and Bloopers, and Idols Gone Idle: 2 Hot 4 TV. […]

Product placement in games is really gonna’ take off. Microsoft recently bought some marketing company that is all about brokering these deals. I don’t mind having to scope out a billboard or two or drive a real-world car if it lowers the price of the game by ten bucks or so.

BTW The impetus for some of this is the original Gran Turisimo for the PS1. That game sold so well, that car companies were begging to be included in the series as it gave them a chance to show off their new wares. That’s half the reason there’s no real-time damage in those games. They don’t want their precious product dented in the least (it ruins the resale value.) The Gran Turisimo series often includes concept cars and in the online version on PS2 – Sony gathers marketing data for the car companies to let them know which cars are the most popular. Now if only those geeks could pony up $200,000 to buy one.

Remember that N64 game based around the revamped VW bug? I had that–it wasn’t too bad.

As for product placement, comic books are just starting to do this. DC is putting out a comic called Rush City in association with Pontiac, about a superhero who drives a Solstice GXP. Meanwhile, the heroes in New X-Men are wearing Nike t-shirts–and the placement is paid for by Nike.

Frankly, I think the comic book placement might be even more effective than on television. Adolescent and teenage comic readers are likely to be much more suggestible than your average 21-40 viewer.

Actually, the 21 – 40 year old demographic has more disposable income. Those comic readers spent too much cash on their Abe Sapien maquette to have anything left over for a can of Axe Body Spray.

May be true, but how effective do you find the in-show placements? Not that their effectiveness is really relevant to the discussion…it’s going to be their only option eventually.

Of course, greater in-show product placement will mean that sponsors will become even more involved with the production process, which can never, ever be good. What if you want a close-up of the tension on a character’s face but already used that time for a shot of the new VW-whatever?

[…] So, I meant to drop an Aside here about something I saw for the first time while riding the MBTA Red Line last week. The discussion that Ed and Jason are having about alternative forms of advertising in the Network Upfronts comments reminded me of this. […]