Skipping commercials

I knew the reign of TiVo wouldn't last forever. My hope is that this new generation of DVR's are not so obnoxious that I have to throw the system out the window, so to speak. Also, can we ban marketers/P.R. folks from ever using military jargon? Sports figures too.
MediaDailyNews

In a move expected to finally give television commercials the dynamic, real-time addressability of online ads, a major developer of video-on-demand (VOD) TV systems is close to unveiling a new feature that enabling the real-time insertion of relevant advertising content down to the household--and even an individual--level.

The new system, dubbed Ads On VOD (AOVOD), will enable cable TV operators to insert timely and relevant advertising messages into on-demand programming on-the-fly. The system, which is currently being tested live this week in an undisclosed major on-demand video market, will get its official unveiling next week when SeaChange International makes it public.

"Your ad becomes a fire-and-rest missile," said R. James Kelso, vice president-general manager/broadband systems at SeaChange, a pioneer in and a leading proponent of VOD systems. While he declined to provide details of the new advertising system, Kelso said it would be a "major weapon" against ad-skipping in an on-demand television environment: "relevance."

One is a "fast-forward lock-out" feature that would literally block the ability of viewers to zip through TV commercials. Another feature that is currently in test would superimpose a special 6-second, real-time TV commercial on screen during the 6 seconds it takes for a viewer to fast-forward through a typical 30-second TV commercial.

While many on Madison Avenue are still oblivious to the implications of VOD, Kelso said the next-generation VOD applications will provide an ideal opportunity for marketers to learn how to deal with advertising in an on-demand environment, whether that is via VOD at a cable head-end, or via digital video recorders in a consumer's home.