At Thursday’s FOX upfront presentation, the network announced it will air two new drama series — J.J. Abrams’ FRINGE and Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE — with dramatically reduced commercial breaks.
“It’s a simple concept and potentially revolutionary,” Fox Entertainment Chairman Peter Liguori said. “We’re going to have less commercials, less promotional time, and less reason for viewers to use the remote. We’re going to redefine the viewing experience.”
And while this TV Addict applauds Liguori’s attempt to ‘redefine the viewing experience’ for FOX viewers, there’s just one problem. The TV Addict, for the most part, doesn’t watch commercials.
Yet I’m a realist, and in the interest of ensuring the television industry’s survival, I thought I’d offer up three easy tips for advertisers hoping to keep my hand off the fast forward button.
Tip #1: Spend the money to make commercials in HD. Nothing gets me reaching for the clicker fast enough than an advertiser who’s cheaped out and decided to ruin the beauty of my HD experience with a [gasp!] standard definition commercial.
Tip #2: Take a page from the Apple playbook. Creativity and originality keep me watching. A must-have product doesn’t hurt either!
Tip #3: Television is a story-tellers medium. So why not take take the time to craft interesting stories like Ellen and Tina Fey have for American Express. Amex spots never fail to entertain and aside from the occasional movie spot are the only commercials I’ll rewind to watch again. 