Comments on: Pre-roll ads and tragedy http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/05/pre-roll-ads-and-tragedy/ a group discussion about the future of student media Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:45:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Tom http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/05/pre-roll-ads-and-tragedy/comment-page-1/#comment-54493 Tom Mon, 16 Jul 2007 09:31:20 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/05/15/pre-roll-ads-and-tragedy/#comment-54493 I'm not sure that's such a good idea. I mean, as they are now, ads around a tragedy (on television as well) are separate from the act itself. They are there as a means to an end. By doing that kind of blatant tie-in with the tragedy, I think it'd be really insensitive. It's kind of like going, "Microsoft is with the hearts of everyone hurt in this event . . . Buy Vista." The end is not there, but the subtext is. I think it would do more harm than good. I'm not sure that's such a good idea. I mean, as they are now, ads around a tragedy (on television as well) are separate from the act itself. They are there as a means to an end. By doing that kind of blatant tie-in with the tragedy, I think it'd be really insensitive.

It's kind of like going, "Microsoft is with the hearts of everyone hurt in this event . . . Buy Vista." The end is not there, but the subtext is. I think it would do more harm than good.

]]> By: Angela Grant http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/05/pre-roll-ads-and-tragedy/comment-page-1/#comment-25243 Angela Grant Fri, 18 May 2007 15:34:52 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/05/15/pre-roll-ads-and-tragedy/#comment-25243 Unfortunately, it's all but guaranteed that tragedies (big or small) are going to keep happening over and over. Maybe there could be plans ahead of time, and tragedy ads already created. The newspaper could make a style about when to use them, for example, when a tragedy takes a person's life. I'm not sure why online video should be any different than TV or radio ads during tragedies. The one thing that comes to mind is that the viewing experience for online videos is much more personal than the other mediums. Unfortunately, it's all but guaranteed that tragedies (big or small) are going to keep happening over and over. Maybe there could be plans ahead of time, and tragedy ads already created. The newspaper could make a style about when to use them, for example, when a tragedy takes a person's life.

I'm not sure why online video should be any different than TV or radio ads during tragedies. The one thing that comes to mind is that the viewing experience for online videos is much more personal than the other mediums.

]]> By: Chip Griffin http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/05/pre-roll-ads-and-tragedy/comment-page-1/#comment-24540 Chip Griffin Wed, 16 May 2007 05:56:17 +0000 http://www.collegemediainnovation.org/blog/2007/05/15/pre-roll-ads-and-tragedy/#comment-24540 You offer up a great idea, but I'm not sure how practical it is. Generating alternative ads on the fly isn't a simple process and requires great coordination between the media outlet and the advertiser. Many larger advertisers feel the need to vet ads every which way to Sunday so making spur of the moment decisions can be very difficult. In addition, one of the challenges I see is judging which video should get alternative treatment. There are the obvious big, national tragedies like Virginia Tech that jump out, but what about smaller, more targeted tragedies? If some creep murders a child but it doesn't get national play, should that video have different advertising? What about that same M&M ad appearing before a local TV video piece on a house fire that kills an elderly resident? Certainly those are tragedies in those communities, but imagine having to tailor new ads for all of those situations -- or even having to judge that it needs alternative treatment. And I guess my final point would be: TV and radio don't stop running ads in most tragedies. Certainly the evening news and morning radio kept running them even as they devoted all or most of their newscasts to Virginia Tech. Why should the standard be different for web video or audio? It may be more obtrusive, but that's an argument about the advertising medium itself, not the ad/content combination. Certainly an interesting debate and one that isn't likely to be resolved soon. You offer up a great idea, but I'm not sure how practical it is. Generating alternative ads on the fly isn't a simple process and requires great coordination between the media outlet and the advertiser. Many larger advertisers feel the need to vet ads every which way to Sunday so making spur of the moment decisions can be very difficult.

In addition, one of the challenges I see is judging which video should get alternative treatment. There are the obvious big, national tragedies like Virginia Tech that jump out, but what about smaller, more targeted tragedies? If some creep murders a child but it doesn't get national play, should that video have different advertising? What about that same M&M ad appearing before a local TV video piece on a house fire that kills an elderly resident? Certainly those are tragedies in those communities, but imagine having to tailor new ads for all of those situations — or even having to judge that it needs alternative treatment.

And I guess my final point would be: TV and radio don't stop running ads in most tragedies. Certainly the evening news and morning radio kept running them even as they devoted all or most of their newscasts to Virginia Tech. Why should the standard be different for web video or audio? It may be more obtrusive, but that's an argument about the advertising medium itself, not the ad/content combination.

Certainly an interesting debate and one that isn't likely to be resolved soon.

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