Recently, there was an article that caught my interest in Ad Age “As the Ratings Fall, Networks Take on Ad-Skipping,” regarding the skipping of online adverts (or rather, the lack thereof). The article basically goes on to say that even though TV consumers are used to skipping or at least having the ability to fast-forward adverts, the same shows online don’t offer that privilege.     

As I’ve mentioned on these pages before, I simply don’t understand this behaviour. People’s habits vary on an individualistic basis.  Online ad technology allows adverts to be customised to the user, to the show, to whatever. Just let the user do what they want, allow ads to be skipped. If someone doesn’t like a particular ad, then show a different one. If they don’t like pre-rolls, show a watermark / bug or an overlay / post-roll. Forcing the same thing down every viewers throat just doesn’t seem like it’s cricket.

Also, there seems to be this great angst over how many adverts can be shown online. Rather than guess, let’s show a bunch and see what happens to the viewer interest and engagement. This isn’t that hard folks.

- Jayant Kadambi