4 ms·

I wonder if this will cause any changes to the existing adverts paying customers see. At the start of each episode they often play adverts for their other shows

I wonder if this will cause any changes to the existing adverts paying customers see. At the start of each episode they often play adverts for their other shows and devices. Ok it’s not an advert for toilet roll, but still, adverts are what I wanted to avoid by paying for TV.

mdasen 9y ago
If done right, I think those ads could feel more like previews at the movies. I think the problem that Amazon gets into is that they show the same one over and over and it feels like an ad. How would I fix it? 1) create a setting that allows people to turn it off. 2) Don't hide or delay the skip button. 3) Make them really previews. Previews do a good job of intriguing and entertaining. Some of Amazon's ones just feel like ads which more just tell you that something is available - I'm thinking of The Tick ones in particular. 4) Don't repeat a preview within a 36 hour window. When a preview is new, it can be interesting. Even an ad can be interesting once. When I see the same ad over and over and over, it gets ridiculously annoying. One of the worst things about online video ads is that I can watch a show and get the same ad 10 times in an hour. I've watched HGTV and gotten the VW-man-cave ad literally twice in a row during the same ad break. The ad stops and then it starts again because it's the next ad. Amazon isn't as bad as that, but I don't want the same ad for the same content starting every episode I watch. I've seen it, don't beat me to death with it. 5) Also mix in some previews for non-exclusive content. Amazon has Indiana Jones. Throw in a preview there. Show people your library. Still, one ad for another piece of content doesn't feel the same. Once in the program, there's no interruption. Amazon isn't making money by you watching more content (unless you count continuing to pay for Prime because of its value). I often appreciate good previews. It's something I think can be missing. How do I decide to try a new show? I really want a good preview that gets me interested. Shows can start slow, but a preview can show me that I should try it. Again, I think there are some adjustments that could be made to make them less annoying and possibly even welcome for most people. I think the biggest problems are the annoying ad-like properties - delaying the skip button, repeating the same preview over and over, etc. And I think if you allow opt-outs, that's more than fair. If I were guaranteed not to see the same preview more than once in a 36-hour period and there was no delay on the skip button, I'd keep them.

mdasen 9y ago

If done right, I think those ads could feel more like previews at the movies. I think the problem that Amazon gets into is that they show the same one over and over and it feels like an ad. How would I fix it? 1) create a setting that allows people to turn it off. 2) Don't hide or delay the skip button. 3) Make them really previews. Previews do a good job of intriguing and entertaining. Some of Amazon's ones just feel like ads which more just tell you that something is available - I'm thinking of The Tick ones in particular. 4) Don't repeat a preview within a 36 hour window. When a preview is new, it can be interesting. Even an ad can be interesting once. When I see the same ad over and over and over, it gets ridiculously annoying. One of the worst things about online video ads is that I can watch a show and get the same ad 10 times in an hour. I've watched HGTV and gotten the VW-man-cave ad literally twice in a row during the same ad break. The ad stops and then it starts again because it's the next ad. Amazon isn't as bad as that, but I don't want the same ad for the same content starting every episode I watch. I've seen it, don't beat me to death with it. 5) Also mix in some previews for non-exclusive content. Amazon has Indiana Jones. Throw in a preview there. Show people your library. Still, one ad for another piece of content doesn't feel the same. Once in the program, there's no interruption. Amazon isn't making money by you watching more content (unless you count continuing to pay for Prime because of its value). I often appreciate good previews. It's something I think can be missing. How do I decide to try a new show? I really want a good preview that gets me interested. Shows can start slow, but a preview can show me that I should try it. Again, I think there are some adjustments that could be made to make them less annoying and possibly even welcome for most people. I think the biggest problems are the annoying ad-like properties - delaying the skip button, repeating the same preview over and over, etc. And I think if you allow opt-outs, that's more than fair. If I were guaranteed not to see the same preview more than once in a 36-hour period and there was no delay on the skip button, I'd keep them.