We have all found interest enough interest in at least one television commercial to search it online. I ask, which is more effective and influential modus operandi? Which shapes minds more easily?
This obviously is simply a qualitative question. Advertisement campaigns function entirely differently between the two. Television follows the ancient routines of product placement, and witty commercialization. What strikes me oddly about the new marriage between the two mediums is that there seems bleed-off only one direction.
Internet genius bleeds only into television. Whether an ackward attention catching ad stream designed by a popular internet band, or hearing skrillex music on shopko commercials. I have never witnessed functional advertisement originating in televsion on the internet. That is not to say I have not borne witness to attempts, as such. Television ad's on the internet lead to the birth of such things as adblock.
One might call the new generation of internet inspired television advertisements as intervision hybrids. A seemless blend of social networking, social engineering, and short cuts can be seen at any commercial break. The internet's integration of advertisements directly into websites allows for seemless surfing without breaks. The only example of such in television I can recall (for as little television as I watch) is the constant pop-ups on networks of their upcoming show lineups, always there to remind and annoy one away from the program.
This all speaks to me of the oncoming death of television, as some have said. I do not think for a moment, that television will go quietly.
I envision a blending of the two, as seen my smart televisions. Hulu and netflix are now producing their own television. Commericals, hopefully, will the first casualty of the war for attention. The internet generally has 'ads' which seem to differ from 'commercials' in that they are static, and they are avoidable in many respects thanks to customizable mediums of viewing the internet.
That customization has always been lacking in television, adjustable only by breeding four versions of every network. Just as MTV was one of the first break off into MTV2 so as to retain playing music videos when the regular channel was so overrun with shlock, each network has followed suit. Always behind in meeting consumer needs. The giants of television networks have shown their lack of adaptability time and time again, unwilling to give up their monopoly hold on their content, while loosing any sense of monopoly in distribution thanks to torrents and streaming.
I welcome the slow death of the ancient giants, stagnant as they are, they have had their time. I cannot recall seeing a historical educational show on the history channel for many years.
The fundamental means of distribution has been changed to something that requires control and choice on the users end. The endless stream of mediocre programming and fifty-two minute shows has passed. Television networks, in their dire attempts to retain viewership in this time of change, have taken to showing intros and credits to both programs at once. Even having shorter commercial breaks at the begging of an hour show to give way to seven minute breaks near the end when viewership is highest.
But it is all in vain. None of these things are customization or choice, and so the viewer goes elsewhere. As Gabe Newell cited many years ago, the distribution model has changed. If someone is pirating something, it is likely the result of a lacking distribution model. Steam has become one of the most popular mediums of distribution among PC gaming, by simply asking the community what it wishes.
Television would do wise to follow suit, but it will not. It still relies on focus groups instead of cloud sourcing, and so will continue to fail in capturing the minds it so direly needs.
Internet was at first an extension of television, and thankfully that has been swapped.
People do not fall for the same routine models of marketing and induction they once did. Thought television commercials have gotten shorter, and faster in cuts, their effectiveness has fallen to the wayside. People are far more likely to be duped into miss clicking a download link to a torrent then they will ever be of buying a Mercedes because the commercial is racy.
At it's core, televisions sole purpose has and will always been the commercial break.
The internet continue it pygmy parade of darts, through open source projects, free alternatives, and new distribution models to kill the ancient beast of television. All the mediocre Jimmy Fallon jokes uploaded to youtube will not force someone to watch the shows commercials.
Perhaps marketing agencies will take note that they no longer make sales without proving their worth to some degree. Without brand image in social networks, there will be no mass consumption as there once was.
I, for one, am thankful that customization now regulates the means to which advertising is effective. Though mental programming may be more effective through this, so too is peoples resistance to that marketing grown. Like any other negative exposure, those who do not fall for it will be stronger for it.
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