TiVo needs to change their Marketing

[kennedy]

TiVo continues to lose market share to Cable and Satellite provided DVRs, and I think they need to stop marketing their devices as a “Better” DVR and instead start competing directly with the service providers themselves. With the economy in it’s current uncertainty and countless cable/satellite subscribers paying upwards of $100/mo. (just for video service), they need to instead brand themselves as a cost effective REPLACEMENT for conventional television.

When you couple the TiVo HD’s ability to record FREE HD signals from the major networks (many of which provide a 24/7 weather sub-channel) with all of the on-demand options (coming Netflix Instant viewing, Amazon VOD, Cinema Now, etc) it really is a compelling option. The only thing lacking from most people’s viewing diet is ESPN. If they could line up a deal to include the ESPN 360 live streaming service, the total package would be an incredibly enticing offering for $9.95/mo (or whatever you are currently paying).

So what do you think? Have any of you considered this option of ushering in a new era of how we get our beloved TV? What other options would it take to entice you to do so?

[stardal]

One thing I would add as I'm contemplating buying my second TiVo HD that, at least in the Time Warner Dallas Market, the only difference in renting a Dual Tuner HD DVR from TWC and paying the TiVo subscription + Multi Stream Cable Card is the initial upfront cost of the TiVo Unit that (as of today) can be obtained for $179 refurbished.

For me, definitely worth the investment and enhances my cable.

[mattack]

The only thing lacking from most people’s viewing diet is ESPN.

[citation needed]

While I have thought more and more about going OTA, I'd also miss Comedy Central, for the Daily Show, Colbert, and new episodes of South Park. I realize you can watch the Daily Show & Colbert on the web.. but who would want to?

For me, ESPN is only useful for the poker shows, and once in a rare while some of the little league world series finals games... and maybe the hot dog eating contest but I could live without that.

MTV is good for the Real World/Road Rules du jour..

But basically, I think what people want on cable varies a LOT.

[magnus]

Agree 100% with this. Tivo needs to change marketing and consumers should change their content diet. It would actually be cheaper to go SA OTA HD and use the download services offered by Tivo.


TiVo continues to lose market share to Cable and Satellite provided DVRs, and I think they need to stop marketing their devices as a “Better” DVR and instead start competing directly with the service providers themselves. With the economy in it’s current uncertainty and countless cable/satellite subscribers paying upwards of $100/mo. (just for video service), they need to instead brand themselves as a cost effective REPLACEMENT for conventional television.

When you couple the TiVo HD’s ability to record FREE HD signals from the major networks (many of which provide a 24/7 weather sub-channel) with all of the on-demand options (coming Netflix Instant viewing, Amazon VOD, Cinema Now, etc) it really is a compelling option. The only thing lacking from most people’s viewing diet is ESPN. If they could line up a deal to include the ESPN 360 live streaming service, the total package would be an incredibly enticing offering for $9.95/mo (or whatever you are currently paying).

So what do you think? Have any of you considered this option of ushering in a new era of how we get our beloved TV? What other options would it take to entice you to do so?

[nrc]

So what do you think? Have any of you considered this option of ushering in a new era of how we get our beloved TV? What other options would it take to entice you to do so?

TiVo is very much thinking in the direction of becoming a channel for a wide variety of content sources. From the comments they've made to investors they still think its a little early to expect that to really drive subscriptions.

[samo]

Tivo needs to change marketing and consumers should change their content diet.
I can see that TiVo needs to get rid of the idiots they have working in marketing, but why should consumers change viewing habits?
There are plenty of DVR solutions on the market that allow you to watch what you want when you want.

[magnus]

I'm just saying to change their habits when compared to the wastefulness of Directv, Dish, Comcast, etc....

You pay x amount per month for a boatload of channels that you'll never watch and to me that does not make much sense.

I can see that TiVo needs to get rid of the idiots they have working in marketing, but why should consumers change viewing habits?
There are plenty of DVR solutions on the market that allow you to watch what you want when you want.

[dylanemcgregor]

At the place I've lived for the last year even basic cable is really expensive and requires a box (absolute cheapest plan ~$70/month). That is way too expensive for us, so we have been doing without and using Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu as substitutes. We don't even have OTA where we are. My worry is that as time goes on more ISPs are going to start imposing stricter bandwidth caps, like the 20gb per month that Frontier and Time Warner are testing.

[ShoutingMan]

Tivo nees to change their MarketingTivo has marketing? Tivo needs to get marketing. I've never seen a Tivo ad. At best, they get some space in the middle of a BestBuy flyer during a sale.

[kennedy]

Tivo has marketing? Tivo needs to get marketing. I've never seen a Tivo ad. At best, they get some space in the middle of a BestBuy flyer during a sale.

Yes! And that marketing needs to say "Hey, we'll save you money!" "Cut the cable."

To make it a reality they'll need someone like Hulu to come on board and have Amazon switch over to a subscription streaming model (which I believe is a real probability).

[steve614]

I've never heard a radio ad nor have I ever seen a TV ad for Tivo.
What is their logic behind that? Either Tivo can't afford radio/TV ad campaigns or they don't feel they need to bother.