Over at the great More Minimal blog (quick side note: how great is the design? So elegant in its simplicity.), a reference is made to Blipverts on the Max Headroom show in the 80s. Blipverts, in the show, were short ad bursts that contained so much information that they would make a listener’s head explode. Ouch.
According to the blog, Clear Channel has brought non-head-exploding blipverts (here, called “blinks”) to life by airing very short two-second ads between songs. As stated on the blog, “Don’t like them? Won’t matter: the Blink will be over before you can reach for the dial. Message delivered.”
It’s a pretty clever move and it fits right in with the fast-cut style of most current TV shows and the rapid-fire promos that have become common on FM radio. And who knows, maybe they’ll be so quick that you won’t get a chance to get annoyed with them. I listened to one for The Simpsons and it was mildly jarring, but not too bad.
A few possible Blinks for when the Ping starts its radio advertising campaign of 2017:
- THE DAILY PING! (flush sound)
- THE DAILY PING HAS OREOS ON ITS FACE!
- THE DAILY PING! Today and everyday!
- THE DAILY PING! Are my two second up ye…
I’m curious to find out how much a two second Blink will cost versus a regular 30-second ad. And whether someday we’ll be facing a one minute long barrage of 30 back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back-to-back Blinks.
Posted in Consumer Commentary, Pop Culture, Television, Movies, and Music
Dave Walls August 31, 2006, 8:34 am
Sounds like I might have some scripts to play around with here, over the next few days. Mwhahahah!
kit September 2, 2006, 5:10 am
Thanks for the kind words and the link.
Generally speaking, 30 second spots are about 20% cheaper than a 60; a 15 is about 20% cheaper than a 30; and a 5 (yes, they exist) is similarly discounted from a 15. I think the blinks will be priced in this manner, but buyers will have to commit to significant quantity.
There’s only one blink availability per hour, so you won’t hear any back-to-back. The trend toward shorter spots, though, is leading to quicker commercial pods with more units. I personally believe this is more irritating to listeners than somewhat longer blocks of fewer commercials, but radio companies see the potential to raise profits by going the other way.