crystal ballz

Sorry, I just like saying "balls". Enter: my meager attempt to predict the future while analyzing media and the way we consume it. Blast, that sounds boring. I promise it isn't!

The facts: I work in advertising. This week is the upfront for television advertising. Essentially, the networks introduce their schedules to advertisers so that we (the advertisers) can become sublimely aware of their initiatives, and thus make informed purchasing decisions. Blah. Regarding all forms of advertising (online, print, out-of-home, etc), TV is by far the reigning champion of overall spend. They get all the money - leaving teensy budgets for the small potatoes, like...say, online. (hey! that's what I buy!)

But if my calculations are correct, that is all about to change. *beep boo beep boop beep* (Time Machine SFX)

Ratings are down. Initiated by the writer's strike, viewership of television programming has shifted from TV, to online. If you can't watch your favorite shows because they AREN'T THERE, you might as well watch reruns whenever you feel like it online (at work when you're bored, at home when you should be cleaning, etc). HA! Thank you writers! Thank you for stepping up the pace for this media transition. Eventually, gone will be the Church & State days of the internet and TV.

If you DVR/TiVo (however you swing) your favorite shows, then you're 1 of 4 in the country. This means you skip commercials, and are contributing to the meshing of time slots. Goodbye "prime time" (and outrageous prime time ad slot prices). It comes as no surprise that (like most aspects of people's lives) you, me, the consumer, wants what they want, when they want it. And they will demand it, until they receive it.

And so, this presents a problem for advertisers. Their only real hope, is a metamorphosis of TV and internet. Envision television becoming more like the Hulu's and VeOh's of the world. More product placement and integration. Floating advertisements across the screen and video overlays.

This is good news for anyone in the digital realm of the advertising world. (i.e. me) The best advice I have? Go buy the nearest Video Ad Network or community and BALL OUT OF CONTROL.

I said ball.