Re: Unwanted Audio Ads (why not just turn speakers off?)

From: Lee A. Powers <webmaster_at_meatindustries.com>
Date: Fri 13 Jul 2001 10:54:51 -0500

MARK WELCH <markwelch_at_markwelch.com>WROTE:

>But the real point of my post wasn't about getting
>fired: it was about who should control what I hear from
>my computer. I think it should be me, not the marketing
>team for Spielberg's latest film.

SO BRIAN SHEPHERD <shepherd_at_technologyreview.com> WROTE:

>Why should YOU be in control over
>what you hear when you come to MY site? My site is
>like my house, you're welcome to come visit, but I am
>the host and in control what you see and hear.

AND SO PHIL TANNY <phil_at_philtanny.com> REPLIED:

>Well put Brian!

>Mark legally owns his computer. He can therefore
>set it up anyway he wishes. Brian legally owns
>his web site, same rule applies to him. What's
>complicated about this?

>Why do we insist on applying moral rules to the
>Net that we would see as absurd in other media?

Ultimately, the issue of audio ads is not a legal or
a moral issue, or even an issue of control, but one
of advertising effectiveness. The web is a mulitmedia
outlet, carrying text, graphics, sound, and video.
However, this does not mean that everybody has to have
a multimedia experience on the web. For instance, due
to bandwidth constrains I rarely stream sound or video
over my web connection, and for me the web is a
text-and-graphics medium, more like a magazine than a
television show.

Whenever I sit in my living room and open a magazine
I don't expect to hear anything save the flipping of
pages. If a magazine starting blaring a movie score
or an advertising jingle at me, I'd be more than a
little suprised, and probably more than a little
disgruntled at the publisher.

In short, if I'm expecting to have a magazine-type
experience on the web and an inconsiderate website
pushes a television experience on me, then as a
visitor I'm either going to be 1) put off or, 2)
hooked by this unexpected experience. An auidio/video
ad will either be very effective or very annyoing.

Recently, a local radio station in my hometown began a
billboard advertising campaign featuring a 60+ year
old man wearing nothing but a pair of leopard skin
bikini briefs. Rather than infusing me with a desire
to tune to that station, it disgusted me and created
a negative connatation with their brand. (I guess a
21-year old white male was outside of the advertiser's
target demographic. Perhaps they were trying to break
through to the elderly female population?)

IMNSHO, I consider auido ads to be the online equivalent
of the old man in bikini briefs. It's a bold statement
that goes beyond the normal web experience, and so the
potential for fallout is at least as high as the
potential for a decent return.

-----------------------------
Lee Powers
webmaster_at_meatindustries.com
www.meatindustries.com
-----------------------------



Received on Fri Jul 13 2001 - 10:54:51 CDT