The Washington Post weighs in today with the latest analysis of the impact PVRs are having on viewers' habits.The article starts with the premise that most people are still watching prime time TV shows -- just not as they air. In fact, now it's easier than ever to watch two popular shows that are on against one another, which could mean viewers are exposed to twice as many advertisements.
And while most viewers say they fast forward commercials, surveys show PVR owners are just about as likely to remember brand names as viewers without PVRs. That may be because people responding to surveys are more likely to remember doing something active like fast forwarding, while they don't remember not skipping commercials, which they may do just as often.
And then there's the now-common list of ways advertisers are responding.
- Creating ads that keep the brand name or logo on screen throughout the commercial so that you'll see it even if you're fast forwarding
- Creating ads with "easter eggs," or extra material that can only be seen when PVR viewers hit their pause buttons.
