CROWDCTRL

As stated previously in my Nick Jr post, Caryn and I are not shy when it comes to turning on the TV. It tends to help the wind-down process from a long day of software design and twin boys.

Our routine includes the whole suite of CSI shows. Last week we were enjoying a little CSI-NY, and we both looked over at each other with that lame look on our faces when one of the detectives strolled across the street and stopped to answer his cell phone, rining loudly with the new Coldplay single as his ringtone.

Just a few seconds later a commercial comes on advertising the ringtone and a hotline to call and order the thing for $2.50. Let’s not even talk about the weird fact that you can buy the real single for $1 and yet you get a crappy clip of the tune for 2.5 times more.

But it brings up a few good points. Integrated advertising seems like a good idea, but it totally turned us off when we saw it. It was a decent effort to include some ads in a way that wasn’t so intrusive, but there were a few problems:

• it was way too obvious in the way the detectives talked about it, and so credibility was lost
• they followed it up with a real and pretty cheesy commercial, which misses the whole point of integrated ads—the concept of subtle product placement

Then I’m off reading Matt Brett’s post on the Advertising Dilemma in web design. He’s chosen to keep his site ad-free. A no ads policy is admirable, but it prevents him from being rewarded for his efforts, and it prevents readers from discovering and easily buying some of the great games and music Matt reviews.

So the concept of integrated ads seems in theory like the best option, if you decide you want to advertise.. Take a topic you’re already writing about on your site, or something in a movie or tv show you’re already filming, and create opportunities to market products that apply. Sure it seems dirty. But it’s a way to pay for that movie, show, or site. And it’s a great way for the producers of products to sell their stuffs in a way that is most effective—by showing the viewer the product in action or giving the opportunity to purchase when you’re reading about it.

And if you do it right, your audience won’t feel dirty for it—the way we felt watching CSI.

A good example is CSI-Miami. Their cops drive Hummers all over the place. H2s are everywhere you look. Occasionally an H2 ad comes on to show you where to buy one or get more info. To me it’s unobtrusive, it fits into the story, and it shows the product in action, and sure—I’d love to drive one.

I just need a few more ads on the site to afford it..