YouTube tests viewer-friendly ad format
Google says it has devised an ad format for YouTube that - and here's the unbelievable part - is not annoying. Now how could they possibly arrange that, since in this age of Tivo and other PVRs, as well as banner blocking software for your web browser, ads are almost by nature, annoying?
TV viewers have grown accustomed to watching a show and seeing the
image of David Letterman or some other star walk across the bottom of
the screen as part of a promotion. YouTube's new ads are very similar.
YouTube's mini commercials, which are produced through Flash animation, appear at the bottom of a video, are mostly transparent and disappear after 10 seconds. Once the ad appears, a user has the option of clicking on it while the video pauses.
YouTube's mini commercials, which are produced through Flash animation, appear at the bottom of a video, are mostly transparent and disappear after 10 seconds. Once the ad appears, a user has the option of clicking on it while the video pauses.
Now this, even in the context of a small window, would be less annoying. Not completely free of irritation, but not too bad. Let's just hope no one ever get the bright idea of doing TV ads in the manner that CourtTV extends their shows: side-by-side displays at the end of each program so they can show the end of one program -- and the beginning of the next one. This means additional advertising time during the main part of the show. It's bright ideas like this that really annoy viewers.
