AdFreak: Philips’ really dumb idea

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Philips’ really dumb idea

One story that seems to have gotten a lot of pickup in the last 24 hours is the news that Philips has developed a technology that would somehow prevent channel-switching or fast-forwarding during commercials. I’ll dispense with a lengthy description of how the technology works, but have you ever heard such a cockamamie idea? The only way this would work, practically speaking, is for there to be some incentive for consumers to actually watch, and even then it flies in the face of the reality that the consumer is in control. Maybe the people at Philips didn’t get the memo? Still, as a social experiment, it would be fun to see how people would react. Probably by throwing their remotes at the TV. UPDATE: As this story was widely reported, Philips has sent a statement to us and other news outlets to clarify what the technology is really all about. You can read it by either clicking on comments below, or checking out our full, updated post.

—Posted by Catharine P. Taylor

April 20, 2006 | Permalink

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Oh it's bad enough now that some DVDs force you to endure move previews...and that DVD manufacturers go along with the ploy. I have mixed feeling about where this will go. After all, if this thing actually took hold, people, as they use to do, would just get up during the commercial break and go to the kitchen or to the bathroom. And, to boot, since research is getting better at knowing when people actually see a commercial versus knowing it was simply broadcast to an empty room, marketers will bail out on this before it goes anywhere.

Posted by: Steve Hall | Apr 20, 2006 11:31:20 AM

For those who are truly upset, I suggest sending email to Terry Fassburg, Vice President, Philips Consumer Electronics Brand Communications. terry.fassburg@philips.com

I'm sure they won't mind hearing from appreciative customers.

Posted by: Todd Copilevitz | Apr 20, 2006 1:00:42 PM

I agree with Steve Hall. It seems to me that the idea of using technology to prevent commercial skipping is a form of advertising utopianism - a reaching towards the past golden age of the 1950s when people watched more or less whatever was put in front of them. Why is that golden age gone? More programming choices are not the cause, they are the result of advertisers abusing their power, creating annoying and terrible ads and creating the channel-switching behavior which opened the door for more channels and eventually cable.

The real answer is to create ads that are engaging and deliver value to the consumer beyond the commercial message. Pay me back for my time in entertainment or information and I'll watch your commercial. It is not enough to assume there's a value exchange because you sponsor the television show I am watching because my perception is that I am paying for that - through my cable provider.

Posted by: David Vinjamuri | Apr 20, 2006 1:27:26 PM

Can you hear that? It's the toilet flushing this idea down the drain! This is more like a bigfoot sighting! It gets your attention when you hear about it but then you have to laugh when you realize what a joke this is. DVR's that don't allow you fast forward past commercials and tv's that give you a shock if you try to change channels during commercials! Also, they are developing a chair that kids sit in at dinner and if they don't eat their cauliflower they can't get up, EVER!

Posted by: george schablik | Apr 20, 2006 4:28:35 PM

Hummm, buy another brand of TV? Or read a book. Why is it necessary for them to force us to watch a commerical? It's up to the brands to create commericals that engage us and catch our attention, not the electronic producer. I feel like its 1984.

Posted by: Carrie P | Apr 20, 2006 5:28:37 PM

Unfortunately, there was an inaccuracy in the original news reporting on our patent application. Please see the statement we issued earlier this week:

A STATEMENT FROM PHILIPS ELECTRONICS REGARDING US PATENT APPLICATION #20060070095 - CONCERNING TELEVISION VIEWING AND ADVERTISING COMMERCIALS

New York, United States, April 19 2006. To clarify any confusion regarding the intent of this application, Philips stated,

“Inventors from Royal Philips Electronics (Philips) filed a patent application, as yet not granted, that enables watching a television movie without advertising. However, some people do want to see the ads. So, we developed a system where the viewer can choose, at the beginning of a movie, to either watch the movie without ads, or watch the movie with ads. It is up to the viewer to take this decision, and up to the broadcaster to offer the various services.

Philips never had the intention to force viewers to watch ads against their will and does not use this technology in any current Philips products, nor do we have any plans to do so.”

For further information, contact:
United States
Andre Manning
Director Corporate Communications Philips Electronics North America
Tel.: +1 646 508 45 45
E-mail: andre.manning@philips.com

Global & Europe:
Caroline Kamerbeek
Director Communications Philips Intellectual Property & Standards
Tel.: +31 40 27 44232
E-mail: caroline.kamerbeek@philips.com

Posted by: T.A. Fassburg | Apr 21, 2006 12:28:06 PM

Then why even take out a patent for a device that merely delivers the status quo?

Posted by: Jack Yan | Apr 23, 2006 1:26:56 AM

Help for the children of tsunami-devastated countries

Posted by: Help Sunami | May 1, 2006 1:25:23 PM

It's a good idea to have this patent and simply stop others doing this stupid thing. I guess people will buy more DVDs (or download more movies) and actually stop watching TV. I did stop watching TV; nothing good to see any way.

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Posted by: credit | Jun 23, 2007 5:42:34 AM

Philips’ really dumb idea

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