In what we believe to be a losing battle against consumers who now, with PVR technology, have near complete control over whether they view ads or not, Chicago’s OMD has announced it will soon test what it dubs “fast-forward commercials.” Announced during a keynote yesterday at the Cablevision Advertising Bureau sales conference in Chicago, OMD Director of Strategic Marketing David DeSocio suggested DVRs should not be seen as threat but as a means to provide viewers with better advertising. DeSocio told the audience that while control given to consumers by DVRs, his agency’s new technology would help advertisers “involve the consumer even when they are in avoidance mode.” Correct me if I’m wrong but that’s just about the nicest way I’ve ever heard anyone say, “force the consumer to view ads when they choose not to.”
