DumbSwede's Journal: Mixed Modes

My last journal entry was a bit over the top with whining as Frisky070802 pointed out (though he was kind enough not to use the word "whine"). I have indeed become overly dependant on seeing my shows at a minimum of DVD quality, and had I made the effort I probably could have caught "Six Feet Under" Season 4 on a standard definition channel and taped it to (ughhh) VHS or archive Season 5 on VHS. Instead I am watching Season 5 now (in HD) and will catch Season 4 later.

Onto the main meat of Today's post which is a reprint of a post I just made to a general discussion for the thread DoubeClick Warns Against Ad-Blocking Browsers, but at post 800+ I am unlikely to be highly moderated, viewed or read. So here is a bit of recycling with the content of my post.

It occurs to me that one reason that popup advertising and flash advertising is so aggravating to many is the mixed media types it employs.

When you're in the mood for a read, you read. So the ads in magazines and newspapers match the type of sensory input you have chosen which is READING, and don't require any action to un-obscure what you are reading. Popup ads transform the passive act of reading into a forced interactive one.

When you watch a TV show or movie on TV you're in a video watching mode and ads while sometimes obnoxious or overly abundant don't tend t to be a jarring experience because they are presented in the same sensory input experience you have chosen to engage in. Ironically while many TV ads employ printed text also, it is rarely the only content of the ad and tends to be supplementary. If during your 30 minute viewing of a TV show you were subjected to 7 minutes of static, music less, text only ads you would probably have a similar amount of irritation.

For websites and games that are interactive in nature I predict the acceptance of popup type ads should/would be better since you would already be in an interactive mode state of mind. At $50 dollars a pop no one would tolerate active popup style ads in video games, but if Pepsi or Coke sponsored free game content that rivaled paid game content then you can bet game players would tolerate (with little complaint) interactive ads built into the game at between level intermissions. Call me immodest, but I would be surprised if my little post here doesn't start the hamster wheel turning in some marketing type's head (granted this idea has already been implemented to varying degrees already, and is no doubt in some stage of development somewhere for something by somebody).

My advise to advertisers who don't want to be hated, if not to be considered downright EVIL, don't mix modes when presenting ads. People have expectations for the types of experiences they engage in and don't want to be forced into another one involuntarily.