TV Tuesday: Getting Your Attention

[yourlibrarian]

Although it’s still possible to see shows ad-free, this not only costs more but some options are ad-only. So how do you deal with ads?

Poll #33698 Ad Free TV

This poll is anonymous.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 51

How do you feel about ads in your TV programs?

View Answers

I don't mind them
5 (9.8%)

I dislike having ads
15 (29.4%)

I hate having to see ads
23 (45.1%)

I like watching ads
2 (3.9%)

It depends on the ads
3 (5.9%)

It depends on the shows
3 (5.9%)

How many ad seconds per half hour are too much?

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Any
24 (50.0%)

10-20 seconds total
4 (8.3%)

Up to 60 seconds total
5 (10.4%)

Up to 120 seconds total
10 (20.8%)

Up to 240 seconds total
4 (8.3%)

Up to 360 seconds total
1 (2.1%)

Over 360 seconds
0 (0.0%)

Have you ever gotten personalized ads when watching shows?

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Yes
6 (12.2%)

No
14 (28.6%)

Not sure
29 (59.2%)

Would you prefer product placement to ads?

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Yes
3 (6.0%)

No
18 (36.0%)

Depends on how intrusive the product placement is
25 (50.0%)

Depends on the show
3 (6.0%)

Depends on the products
1 (2.0%)

If you don't like ads, what makes them intrusive?

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Takes time to watch/forward through
28 (58.3%)

Too much repetition of the same ad/product
38 (79.2%)

Interrupts the narrative too frequently
33 (68.8%)

Jarring shift from show to ad
33 (68.8%)

Ads are louder than shows
32 (66.7%)

Causes technical problems
8 (16.7%)

Something else I'll mention in comments
3 (6.2%)

Are there ads you would like to see?

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No
33 (67.3%)

Yes, if they featured products I like
1 (2.0%)

Yes, if they featured people I like
3 (6.1%)

Yes, if they were funny
7 (14.3%)

Yes, if they were emotional/enjoyable
6 (12.2%)

Yes, if they were for other shows I might like
10 (20.4%)

Yes, if they were for tie-in things to the show I'm watching
3 (6.1%)

Yes, if they were gamified
0 (0.0%)

Yes, if the product connected to the show in a fun way
4 (8.2%)

Yes, something else I'll mention in comments
3 (6.1%)

Comments

[alchemicink]

I don't mind ads most of the time. I'm used to it by now, and usually I just kinda tune them out when they start. And I know I'm generally in the minority with this next point but... I'd rather sit through a few 30-sec ads than pay money for a streaming service 😅

The question about personalized ads made me laugh because occasionally I keep getting ads in Spanish, a language I do not speak more than a few words of. I don't know why this keeps happening 😂 (especially because if I'm watching anything in a language other than English, it's almost always Japanese)

A funny instance of product placement I always think about was from the anime Code Geass, which aired sometime around 2006-ish (I don't remember exactly). Pizza Hut had provided some sponsor money, if I recall correctly, so there was one character who was always inexplicably eating pizza, and the Pizza Hut logo was frequently on display. The fans made so many memes about it. I've heard that if you watch the series now, the logos have all been removed. But I don't actually know for sure. I'll certainly never forget the Pizza Hut version though!

[yourlibrarian]

Heh, at least it became something fun for the fans!

Your comment reminded me of a stretch of time where all my emails from Amazon were coming in Spanish. I do read and speak some Spanish, but I couldn't figure out why it kept defaulting to that.