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Advertising on commercial television

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nlogax

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It's much cheaper to advertise on tv at the moment than it used to be, for obvious reasons. In times like these charities will strike decent deals with commercial channels who are desperate for all and any ad revenue.
 
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hexagon789

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Same applies in Australia. British TV advertising looks a model of sophistication in comparison (except for some "global" commercials for things like prestige cars - where the left-hand-drive vehicle, fjord landscape and "overseas model shown" small print are a dead giveaway).

But one of my biggest gripes about the commercial channels Down Under isn't just the number of amateurish, shouty ads for "Crazy Dave's Discount Carpet Warehouse", of which there are plenty, but that a similar amount of time is then devoted to repetitive, over-and-over-again previews for that channel's current prime-time cookery or vote-the-bachelor-off-the-island reality show.

I can't remember where, possibly a newspaper, but in comparing adverts on TV the author stated that when they watched the Superbowl in the US, over the period of one hour there were nine segments of adverts, the longest being 7 minutes and the longest between adverts was 9 minutes.

We've not got that bad yet!
 

mmh

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Do I think advert breaks are getting longer? No, because all the repeats fit in the same time they always have. Midsomer Murders (one of my favourite programmes) has been mentioned, it's still usually shown in a two hour slot like it always was.

Do I think they're getting more repetitive? Absolutely. I often change channels when an advert comes on now, which I never used to. Covid brought out the worst in advertising agencies, with them all falling over themselves to make "we're all in it together / whatever happens / isn't this fun" dirges. Thankfully most have gone now, but the banks are steadfastly refusing to ditch their sanctimonious pieces of 30 second claptrap.

A 30 minute programme from decades ago is still 30 minutes, except on Dave of course where 30 minute BBC shows have to become 40 to accommodate the adverts they didn't have originally.
 
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Some programmes (not shows) made for the BBC are now shown on channels with ads. For instance a programme like Death in Paradise normally runs for ~55 minutes ad-free. On an advertising channel it can be nearly 80 minutes from start to finish. What I find interesting is how some channels cut ads in at the most inappropriate time, although I suspect that some BBC output is actually planned with appropriate places for ad breaks. One thing I do find frustrating, as a frequent channel hopper, is that so many of the channels have their ads on at the same time, so I finish hopping from ad break to ad break.
 

Sean Davidson

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I use a Humax TV recorder and haven't watched an advert for years, I can record a one hour show at 9 o'clock, start watching it at quarter past nine and still finish at 10.
 

Mojo

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What I find interesting is how some channels cut ads in at the most inappropriate time, although I suspect that some BBC output is actually planned with appropriate places for ad breaks.
Interesting that Ofcom rules are actually quite detailed about when advertising may be scheduled:
“Breaks within programmes may be taken only at a point where some interruption in continuity would, in any case, occur (even if there were no advertising) and such natural breaks must not damage the integrity or value of the programme in which they occur.”
 

Domh245

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I suspect that some BBC output is actually planned with appropriate places for ad breaks

With many BBC programmes being co produced with other partners, I think you are correct. For example, Death in Paradise (meurtres au paradis) is a collaboration between the BBC and a French production company, who broadcast it on advertising-showing channel France2, so I'm sure a degree of planning as to where it can be cut for breaks does go into it. Even purely BBC productions will have some consideration for this, after all the BBC makes a moderate income from selling programmes to other broadcasters both domestic and internationally
 

SteveP29

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Try US TV - British TV seems quite reasonable in comparison.

Hated them while I was over there, all they seemed to be were adverts for pharmeceuticals and because of the litigious nature of the USA, the disclaimers were often twice as long as the ads they advertising

Dont pay much notice to adverts these days. You used to have memorable ones back in the day but of late cant think of any.

Nothing seems to grab you anymore, there's no gimmicks or comedy in them any more (I'm thinking the Tango slaps and genuinely funny stuff), even You've Been Framed has half the programme stuffed with mishap videos we've seen hundreds of times before.
 

edwin_m

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Nothing seems to grab you anymore, there's no gimmicks or comedy in them any more (I'm thinking the Tango slaps and genuinely funny stuff), even You've Been Framed has half the programme stuffed with mishap videos we've seen hundreds of times before.
A couple of the Specsavers ones were quite amusing, as well as having the only memorable slogan (to me at least) from a recent advertisement.

And the 70s and 80s weren't all advertising nirvana. Does anyone recall the absurdly repetitive one for something called Bounce? Not the dog food, something you put in the dryer to freshen clothes - not a good idea to confuse those two.
 

adrock1976

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Nothing seems to grab you anymore, there's no gimmicks or comedy in them any more (I'm thinking the Tango slaps and genuinely funny stuff), even You've Been Framed has half the programme stuffed with mishap videos we've seen hundreds of times before.

The last time I watched You've Been Framed was when Jeremy Beadle presented it, and you received money if the video cassette tape you had sent in was used.
 

GusB

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The last time I watched You've Been Framed was when Jeremy Beadle presented it, and you received money if the video cassette tape you had sent in was used.
I believe you still receive money if a clip is shown - £250, if I remember correctly (which doesn't seem to have changed in years). I doubt that there have been many video cassettes sent in lately, though :)
 

nlogax

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And the 70s and 80s weren't all advertising nirvana. Does anyone recall the absurdly repetitive one for something called Bounce? Not the dog food, something you put in the dryer to freshen clothes - not a good idea to confuse those two.

The 80s was a goldmine of great commercials but yes, some absolute turkeys too. Problem is, even the really bad ones were catchy enough to stick in my memory to the present day and I find myself looking for something else quickly to dislodge the earworm. For instance, this one has been invading my headspace all week;


(sorry. but you get my point)
 

GusB

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A couple of the Specsavers ones were quite amusing, as well as having the only memorable slogan (to me at least) from a recent advertisement.

And the 70s and 80s weren't all advertising nirvana. Does anyone recall the absurdly repetitive one for something called Bounce? Not the dog food, something you put in the dryer to freshen clothes - not a good idea to confuse those two.
The one where the guy fits a cat-flap at the wrong end of the door was quite funny. Specsavers do seem to have a knack with amusing adverts.

One advert that did catch my attention was the one for the AA which features a woolly dog and a fan.
 

SteveP29

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The last time I watched You've Been Framed was when Jeremy Beadle presented it, and you received money if the video cassette tape you had sent in was used.
I believe you still receive money if a clip is shown - £250, if I remember correctly (which doesn't seem to have changed in years). I doubt that there have been many video cassettes sent in lately, though :)

It's still £250 and they ask you to upload the videos to their portal now, rather than send them in.

Here's an hour of 1980's adverts, many memorable moments, I defy anyone who was around then not to sing along or quote some of the catchphrases.
80s UK adverts
 

hexagon789

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Hated them while I was over there, all they seemed to be were adverts for pharmeceuticals and because of the litigious nature of the USA, the disclaimers were often twice as long as the ads they advertising

Oh yes, where the list of side effects is about 4/5 of the content actual advert for the product!
 
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Interesting comments regarding US ads. I have been a few times,and it always seems to have coincided with some kind of election. Apart from all programmes being very disjointed because of the huge number of ad breaks,including pharmaceuticals, I remember the very personal attacks by one candidate on another. Although this may happen here the language used here is rather different. You would not actually use words like 'crook' and 'liar' and directly accuse opponents of only being self interested.
 

yorksrob

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The adverts which annoy me are those for cleaning products that imply you can just spray it on, then wipe everything off easily. This seems to be false advertising, as in my experience, cleaning always involves a lot more work and effort than I'm comfortable with.
 

stevetay3

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Watching any sport on TV is becoming almost impossible to watch at the moment, constant gambling adds insurance adds and ambulance and funeral chasers making up the numbers. All not much use to anyone especially the Bookies.adds
I for one will be soon cancelling my sky sports if this does not improve, not going to pay 20 odd quid a month for 30M of adds in each hour.
 

py_megapixel

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I thought it might be unwise to drag the TV licensing thread too far off topic, so:

German medical ones are entertaining, there seems to be a competition about how fast to say "Zu Risiken und Nebenwirkungen lesen Sie die Packungsbeilage oder fragen Sie Ihren Arzt oder Apotheker" at the end. (For risks and side effects read the leaflet in the box or ask your doctor or pharmacist).

I believe that would be the equivalent of the British "[product] is a medicine. Always read the label." This has always seemed to me to be rather holding you hostage: since the side effects are listed on the inside of the sealed pack, you have simply wasted your money if you get it home and find it's not suitable for you!

Even funnier when many adverts are miracle products to reduce cholestorol, sandwiched between two adverts (sorry, commercials) offering 5 cheeseburgers for $5 at Wendy's!
Who on earth eats 5 cheeseburgers...?
 

Butts

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I hate the adverts on Catch Up services on ITV,C4 and C5. Although sometimes there are none (tends to be more high brow shows) and conversely go on for ever and a day on some more popular offerings.

Happiness is a cigar called Hamlet ... the Mild Cigar from Benson and Hedges.

Now those were good copy !!
 

LAX54

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I can't remember where, possibly a newspaper, but in comparing adverts on TV the author stated that when they watched the Superbowl in the US, over the period of one hour there were nine segments of adverts, the longest being 7 minutes and the longest between adverts was 9 minutes.

We've not got that bad yet!

Wasn't American Football, built around TV ads in the U.S. ?
 

RT4038

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I thought it might be unwise to drag the TV licensing thread too far off topic, so:



I believe that would be the equivalent of the British "[product] is a medicine. Always read the label." This has always seemed to me to be rather holding you hostage: since the side effects are listed on the inside of the sealed pack, you have simply wasted your money if you get it home and find it's not suitable for you!


Who on earth eats 5 cheeseburgers...?

Judging by the size of some people...........
 

LAX54

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No, NFL formed 1920, TV first broadcast efficiently in 1925

US sports naturally lend themselves to advertising as they do have stoppages in play regularly (NFL, NHL, NBA, MLB), so advertising steadily crept into those stoppages

Okey dokey, thankyou :) was sort of right lol
 
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