Web Video Ads Missing The Mark

[HardOCP News]

If being forced to watch a thirty second ad before every twenty second video clip makes you mad, don’t feel bad, you aren’t alone. For some reason, it took a team of researchers to figure that out.

Although increasingly widespread, the short commercial spots that run before videos -- everything from entertainment clips to news spots -- may do as much harm as good, media experts say. Studies show the commercials, known as pre-rolls, often irritate consumers, thus raising the risk they'll ignore the promotion or click to another Web site altogether.

 

[HardOCP News]

I’ve seen so many online ads that I now have a secret fantasy about “Padma” from the NetFlicks ads.

 

[Martyr]

rules for video ads.

1. less than 10 secs, any longer and its muted and new tab time
2. no volume boost.
3. between shows= yes. during normal commercial slots = NO

 

[GJSNeptune]

Yeah. I don't mind the short ads between online TV show segments. The only problem is that it's the same commercial each time. I can't stand that. Bravo and TLC and other channels show the same god-damn commercials every commercial break. It's bad enough having to watch them. At least vary them.

 

[verteron]

I agree. Ads are to inform you of a product or service, not to memorize and recite back to your fellow co-workers. When I link in somewhere and a big flash ad pops up, I immediately back out and go to the next choice. I quit watching cnn and foxnews video segments due to the repetitive and obtrusive ads. The volume controls disappear during the commercials, and if you select a different segment after the current one completes during the following commercial, you have to watch a commercial all over again.

Ads are there to support the content, not the other way around. If I am not yet hooked on the content, it is not worth tolerating the ad.

I actually don't see a lot of ads anymore anyway though, this being one of the few sites I disable adblock and noscript for. Although, after the malware incidents with ads at Myspace and TomsHardware, I don't trust third party ad servers anymore. I never liked them before, but now I have legitimate concern.

Good sites need support, great sites need a lot of support, so I even link through here when I need my newegg fix. Though it is quite aggravating when I can't find a Newegg ad to link through.