The Fascinating Future of Advertising

In this lengthy Wired article, Frank Rose examines how the proliferation of programming choices and time shifting devices such as TiVo are dramatically altering the way advertisers will communicate with consumers.

The 30 second spot is still being clung to by dinosauric ad agencies as the only major means of communications. Fortunately, some smart marketers and agencies are realizing the nature of marketer/consumer communications is changing with the power shifting more to the consumer. Consumers will be the ones who control what they watch and when they watch it. Marketers are reacting with product placement and TiVo Showcase advertising which sends ads to a TiVo box for later viewing and consumer information request.

There are simply too many media outlets and there's too much ad clutter for the existing model to survive much longer and for brands to be able to thrive. Consumers are simply tuning out and opting out of marketing communications. With technology giving time shifting and programming control to the consumer, current media brands such and ABC, NBC and FOX will become irrelevant. What will become very important are individual networks; channels created and programmed soley and individually by the consumers to suit their specific viewing needs. TiVo's role in this shift could become very important providing advertisers access to the personalized channels.