[Justin Thyme]

The advertising software on ComcastTivo has been mentioned frequently, but what I always assumed was that Comcast would be selling the advertising time, and Tivo would do the technical implementation.

Tivo's 4/16/2006 SEC filing states Tivo is selling the advertising:

TiVo will also have a limited right to sell certain types of advertising on other Comcast DVR set-top boxes enabled with the TiVo advertising management system, subject to Comcast's option to terminate such right in exchange for certain advertising-related payments. [link]

I am a little vague on the details of what is being imagined for the Comcast Tivo. By Advertising management system are we talking the kind of ads that appear on the main Tivo menu, or are we talking about Ad popups/ full blown ad insertion, where they pull out the old advertisement and insert a new Personalized advertisement that targets that subscriber's demographic/ user preferences?

Anyone have any idea of the potential scale of the advertisement sales we are talking about? Are we talking maybe 4 or 5 clicks from the main screen per month, or hours of ad time per day?

 

[HDTiVo]

TiVo does not control the advertising. They are able to sell some advertising on TiVo/Comcast boxes and they will get some revenue for that.

Anyone have any idea of the potential scale of the advertisement sales we are talking about?

Less than on the SA units.

I expect alternate ad insertion is somewhat down the road.

Indeed, the general ad management system referenced is due by 2/15/08 - and you know how those things get extended. On those non-TiVo/Comcast DVRs TiVo's right is "limited." I doubt they get much.

 

[Justin Thyme]

Well sure- the safe bet is that any tech company will deliver on much less than what those with vivid imaginations can come up with.

But I was wondering what factual data we have on this so called "ad management" thingee- It's hard to imagine that the main menu adverts could be described as ad management. Is it recycled popup stuff?

OTOH- maybe the idea that software is going to identify a subscriber's demographic by viewing patterns, select corresponding adverts for that group, record them off a paid programming channel in the middle of the night.

Well- it is sort of managing, but Comcast already knows about that. Is that really the kind of thing that they would care so much about that they would reserve the right to take it over if it turns out to be lucrative?

Anyhow- do we have any hard evidence of what this ad management puppy is?

 

[HDTiVo]

As best I understand it, ad management system is a back end thing that manages the placements of ads on the DVRs and probably includes such abilities as statistical reporting and billing of ad clients.

Much of the TiVo type (on DVR) ads will be possible. (ie. pop ups and all.)

Further down the road, post-fact ad insertion will be available, but just who will use it is not known, although I think there will be a lot of desire to use it all around.

I think TiVo is going into an experiment with TWC with ad insertion/replacement.

 

[jmoak]

Anyhow- do we have any hard evidence of what this ad management puppy is?

Nope.

But feel free to speculate to your heart's content.

and don't forget:

SLIPPERY SLOPE!!!!!

 

[Justin Thyme]

I wonder what good the ad folks think they are getting out of not changing the status quo. I'm going to have my kids asking for the next 4 years if they can go see the premiere of Spiderman III, because they keep seeing the ad for it. I'm going to keep seeing ads for why I should by the new Dodge 2005 Ram truck.

It's pretty dumb if they don't get some re-insertion working by the time everybody down the block has 2TB Tivos.

Truth be told, when I am zoned out, I will watch the first commercial before I wake up and hit FF. I might stay for the second if it is a Gieco Caveman commercial I haven't seen in a while. If you saw me, you'd know why.

 

[HDTiVo]

I wonder what good the ad folks think they are getting out of not changing the status quo.

My impression is there is a lot of interet in this for the stage of development that it is at.

There seems to have been good success with the new commercial pricing based on ratings with DVR viewers, and the newer minute by minute Neilsen and second by second TiVo data.