Whatever you do, don't press the pause button!

Filed in archive Channels on April 2, 2007

Whenever I read about broadband video players at AdAge, you just know that someone is trying to connect with the big bucks that advertisers have in their budgets. Such is that case at ABC.

ABC.com unveiled a new look this week, including an upgrade to its streaming-video player and the ads that play within it. The new video player offers a full-screen option and two smaller-sized formats to allow viewers to multitask while watching their favorite shows. But beware, "the player will go to full-screen with a new ad at the end of each eight-minute program segment."

Yes, that is just what I want to have happen. Not only ads, but they go full screen!

And here is my favorite quote from Alexis Rapo, VP of Digital Media for ABC. "We wanted the experience to be the same for the advertiser once the screen expands so the consumer can continue to interact with the ad pod."

Oh, Alexis, I can't even begin to tell you how many levels that answer is wrong on.

And another innovation was introduced around the pause button. Apparently, someone at ABC learned "that at least one time per viewing, consumers pause their viewing experience one way or another." As a result, ABC will give the advertiser sponsoring that stream "an additional ability to send a message to the consumer."