The answer is: when it’s on British commercial TV.
UK independent television is to be allowed to make increase the length of ad breaks from seven to twelve minutes. It’s an experiment which will run for a year.
The main aim is to bring more revenue into the TV companies, which have been hit by the economic climate like almost every other advertising medium (with the exception of certain online options).
I have to be honest and say I was sure that some of the smaller, digital-only channels, already ran way more than twelve minutes of ads per hour. It sometimes feels as though there are more ads than programme – but maybe that’s just me.
The TV companies and the advertisers are, of course, up against one major challenge here: the remote control. So many of us have the ability to stop and start shows, fast-forward through them etc, they’ll really have to work to get our attention. That’s one reason TV advertising revenues started falling in the first place.
One good thing I can see happening – I think it has to in fact – is that advertisers will put more effort into making ads entertaining and engaging. It can be done – the cult of the mear cat is testament to that. Love him or loath him, Alexander is a phenomenon in his own right now. The only danger with creating something like that is that some people (I’ve met a few) get so caught up in the character, they actually forget what he’s advertising.
If it’s done cleverly, the extended break will work – but ad agencies etc are really going to have to stay on their toes – which could be fun to watch.
Whatever our medium, whoever our audience might be and whether we’re selling a product, information or any other message, we have to be ready to entertain before we sell.
What do you think about longer ad breaks? Are you interested to see what use is made of them? Or are they just a longer opportunity to get a drink, go to the loo or see what’s on the other side?