So it seems as though people are pretty ticked off about the omnipresent "V clock" that ran in the corner of the screen for the entirety of last night's episode. I sympathize, since I can't stand any of the "cute"/translucent corner advertisements that are run during what seems like every show I watch now.
But I'm not hear to bitch and moan about it. I'm just curious as to who thought that this specific stunt was a good business idea? In effect, what that clock was saying was "Don't worry - you won't have to wait much longer to watch 'V.'" Only, no one was worried. Those of us watching Lost were tuned in to ABC for the express purpose of watching Lost - not to sit around agonizing over the wait for banal lizard people. "V" isn't the Superbowl, and Lost isn't the pregame. It certainly isn't as if the commercials we got at every break weren't ample reminder that Morena Baccarin's eerie haircut would be among us again soon.
So, the clock serves absolutely no "positive" purpose whatsoever. It is, all annoyance aside, just really terrible advertising. It doesn't cater to anyone. It doesn't fulfill a need or effectively evoke a need. It just serves to irritate people. That strikes me as being a bad marketing decision. So who thought this was a good idea? And what was the reasoning?
What do you think? Do in-show corner-of-the-screen ads bother you? Did last night's experiment in giving everyone what no one wanted send you into a frenzy of pissy Tweets? Or, like me, were you just left wondering how this was justified as smart or effective advertising?
Wednesday, March 31
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In Boston, they decided to add a breaking news banner ("it is still raining") over the subtitled scenes.
ReplyDeleteThen, at the end of the show they replaced "On next week's episode" with their over-eager weatherman, "still raining, news at 11!".
It was trying and bothersome. Good news: dry today in Boston.
Since I watched it in Canada, I didn't have that problem. Personally, with how poorly the scene was shot, I had trouble making out what Sun was writing even without any other interference. But networks do this quite often. The worst is the pop up ads. I've had them pop up over subtitles.
ReplyDeleteI actually watch V and the bug pissed me off! As it is, I feel bad for those that have to watch TV in SD anyway, and now they all had the pleasure of not being able to read what Sun was writing to Jack. That sux! I do not think it was a good marketing idea at all on the part of ABC. We were already watching the network so the commercials would have been enough, and even those were getting to me. WE GET IT ABC ... V! Enough already! This complaint goes for all of those bug ads within all programs I watch. It takes away from enjoying any program!!
ReplyDeleteI watched on Hulu and so I got to bypass the annoying V commercials, but in a lot of the commentary I've read from the episode, it was a source of annoyance for a lot of folks. :\ I always hated those commercials that pop up in the bottom of the screen, though. It's frustrating because it detracts from the show that's going on right now. That's what commercial period is there for: commercials. We don't need more during the programs!
ReplyDeleteJust seems like they were trying to turn it into an event like Lost is. Obviously they are hoping for the Elizabeth Mitchell faithful to stick around. I can see doing a V clock during a V recap show, but that is about it.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I only noticed it at the beginning and then didn't notice it again. I didn't realize it was there the whole episode. I guess I've gotten good at ignoring the extra ad garbage.
Whoever made this decision should have a V advert tattooed on their forehead.
ReplyDeleteBut this is the price we pay for DVRing television shows rather than watching them when the Network tells us to. Networks can't count on people sitting through commercials anymore so they plaster adverts underneath whatever we're watching at the moment.
I thought it was crazy.. I can understand if it were clear like the ABC logo or something.. but a big red "V"?? I think it was just ABC's way of trying to piggyback on the ratings of Lost.. in my opinion anyone who will watch "V" already watched the premier and then decided not to watch it after that.. it made me so mad.. I decided to watch Justified instead.. which, in my opinion, is a much better show..
ReplyDeleteThis is why I watch LOST on iTunes.
ReplyDeleteWell, the corner ads piss me off in general, but not nearly as much as the damn weather crawls that take up 1/2 the screen every time the wind blows. I've actually complained to my local affiliate (to no avail) for that crap.
ReplyDeleteLike Erik said, it always boils down to "it's still raining." Duh. That's why we're INSIDE watching the damn TV!
Bad news about "V" and "Lost" ... (and be sure to check out the link to the official release): http://iscreenyouscreen.blogspot.com/2010/04/bad-news-for-lost-fans.html
ReplyDeleteThat's cute, Colonel. I enjoyed reading people's furious responses.
ReplyDelete