Poll: What's the most annoying form of advertising?

by Darren Murph posted Jun 6th 2008 at 12:00PM

We spotted something this week that really got our heads spinning: a fairly fail proof method to keep ad skipping (at least partially) at bay. During a re-run of Family Guy on TBS, Bill Engvall casually walked onto the bottom of the screen, paused Family Guy and proceeded to pimp his own show for a solid 15 seconds. Yeah, TBS is known for self-promotion, but this just feels downright slimy. It prompted us to fire up this poll, however, which beckons you readers to cast your vote for the most annoying form of advertisement. Feel free to chime in below with specific experiences if you feel led, and make sure to use the heck out of that DVR while you still can -- clearly, these guys are all too ready to institute workarounds to hinder ad skipping. The Bill Engvall violation video is waiting after the break.

Filed under: Polls, DVRs, Set-top boxes, Advertising

Tags: ads, advertisements, advertising, advertisment, commercial, now playing, NowPlaying, tbs, tbs hd, TbsHd, tivo, video

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Highly Ranked

Ordeith @ Jun 6th 2008 12:04PM

* The "humming bird" ad on Joystiq.

Neutral

Ryan B. @ Jun 6th 2008 12:13PM

During The Ultimate Fighter this week, there was an ad in the middle of a round of one of the fights. Not between a round, during a round. It picked back up with about 30 seconds left in the fight. Pretty ridiculous.

Neutral

kcmurphy88 @ Jun 6th 2008 12:24PM

Watched National Treasure 2 on Blu-ray the other night. Even hitting chapter skip through the many many previews it took 5 minutes to get to the film. Gdd only knows how long it would have taken if I didn't know to hit channel skip. "Menu" was non-functional.

Are these people crazy? Have they not hear of Keep It Simple, Stupid?

(Side note: Blu-ray really needs to standardize the menu/audio/video controls. Every studio, and seemingly every player maker, does it differently.)

Highest Ranked

Slappy Wag @ Jun 6th 2008 1:46PM

You assume that these "people" see you as anything other than a dollar sign. They don't give a flying F about you. You already bought the movie. What do they care? They have your money. Until average Joe Consumer stops buying their crap, it keeps making them money, so they keep doing what works. This is why you should never do any business with companies that have their ads showing up on popups. If popups keep working, they will remain.

Neutral

EQC @ Jun 6th 2008 2:05PM

"You already bought the movie. What do they care? They have your money."

Even worse...because of the big "piracy" scare, you're not allowed to return DVD's/Blu-ray disks. So even if they filled the whole disk with unskippable ads, and put commercials throughout the movie, you'd have no way to get your money back.

As suggested, things won't get better until average Joe stops buying...but average joe wants what he wants, and he keeps buying almost no matter what. If something is too expensive or of low quality, average joe buys it and just complains about it...which doesn't send the right message to the manufacturer. Somebody needs to turn average joe into a better consumer...

Neutral

ChiWax @ Jun 8th 2008 12:39AM

I believe they refer to the different menus as "part of the fun" of Blu-Ray. Q.

Neutral

Donnie @ Jun 6th 2008 12:37PM

I saw that last night also and it pissed me off... a lot.... more than it should actually.... maybe I should get some help...

Also, There should be a "All of the above" answer. I didn't know about the Tivo ads (because i dont own one) or the stil pictures...its all BS if ask me.

If everyone would make their ads funny (like some Bud Light ones) I would want to skip over them......although it would be hard for everyone to do this, cause I dont know how to make an ad for tampons funny

Neutral

DEEZNUTZ @ Jun 6th 2008 12:42PM

... showing a chick wearing white pants have an accident. That would be a funny tampon ad.

Neutral

BrotherEstapol @ Jun 8th 2008 7:26AM

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=kMIUOiMeDH4

Neutral

Donnie @ Jun 6th 2008 12:38PM

wouldn't want to skip

sorry for the long comment

Highly Ranked

DEEZNUTZ @ Jun 6th 2008 12:40PM

All of the above.

'specially the loud ass commercials... FCC or whomever regulates this should finally do something about it. It's deliberate and unnecessary.

Also, all those ads on DVDs and BD's suck ass. I don't mind watching them once, but they should not restrict skipping them altogether with the menu button. FFS you just paid $20 for the f*ckin movie.

Damn, NOW IM MAD!!!

Neutral

andrewgreene @ Jun 6th 2008 1:25PM

This is something that had to be done in movie theaters. The commercials/previews were so loud that the theater staff would turn it down then forget to turn it back up when the feature started - making dialogue very hard to hear.

I don't remember which governing body was involved or when this was resolved, but yeah, some group/organization definitely needs to get involved in this.

Highly Ranked

Scott Ivers @ Jun 6th 2008 12:47PM

does anyone actually watch the bill engvall show?

Neutral

retro77 @ Jun 6th 2008 1:06PM

I need to be able to pick more than one! I hate the anoyingly loud commercials and the ones that disrupt from a program to play an animation on some other show that I dont like

Neutral

MadMike @ Jun 6th 2008 1:07PM

Another reason for us to pirate. This is what I am talking about. Abusive advertising. In ten years, its going to be WORSE than Minority Report. Entire walls covered with moving and loud ads, who scan your retinas or recognize your face and automatically know your credit score, social security #, home address, etc...

0 privacy
0 beauty
0 sanity

If you think the government is trampling all over your rights, feh - not even close. You probably already have the phone company tapping your calls for marketing purposes. Soon, in order to get a good mortgage rate on your $4.5MM 120 sq ft roach-infested, north philly ghetto apartment, you have to agree to have 24/7 plasma screen displays that show ads 24/7 at 40db at all times and YOU have to pay the power bill and can;t turn them off or they evict you.

F*cking pathetic. Wan't to know why I steal? Its to stop being stolen from first. So now I will never watch an un-pirated TBS show ever again.

And if we start getting signs all up and down the street, I will spend my spare time, breaking them. Just like they do to the traffic cameras in London.

Neutral

Tucker @ Jun 6th 2008 1:38PM

Hmm, I can't think of a TBS show I'd watch pirated or not! You, sir, must have a higher tolerance for crap than I.

Neutral

MadMike @ Jun 6th 2008 1:44PM

Actually, I only watch the Law & Orders, CSI, Myth Busters, Rescue Me, New Amsterdam, Shark. Stuff like that. I like crime dramas.

Neutral

Slappy Wag @ Jun 6th 2008 1:59PM

The only problem is that now they embed the advertising right into the show. Notice how many real products have appeared in shows of late? Gone are the days where a real product that was changed in some manner, like a can of soda or chips so that it was not the actual brand name. They made some ridiculously obvious change on the labeling so they didn't have to pay the company. Now they have the actual product and a contract to advertise it directly in the shows. This was no accident. There is no getting away from advertising. The ad agencies have the 'Tivo be damned' mentailty. They were losing the proverbial shitload due to the increasing number of time-shifting devices.

This is what you get when you have private industry regulated by the government.

Neutral

MadMike @ Jun 6th 2008 2:25PM

So its time for us to regulate it. Not the government, they can't get sh*t right. Democrat or Republican, they all answer to the paychecks.

Neutral

retro77 @ Jun 6th 2008 3:04PM

Again the double M's. I don't get it.

Neutral

retro77 @ Jun 6th 2008 3:06PM

"And if we start getting signs all up and down the street, I will spend my spare time, breaking them. Just like they do to the traffic cameras in London."

Well I hope no signs come up broken. Since you already confessed and all.

Neutral

MadMike @ Jun 6th 2008 3:24PM

Retro77:
The "MM" is used in finance to denote "Million" for dollars.
http://www.riskglossary.com/link/mm.htm

Yes, I did confess. Actually, I will guarantee damage. I will start to deface and destroy advertising. That's how much I hate advertising. More than hippies and cats, and man, I REALLY hate hippies. I also f*cking despise cats.

Neutral

Patrick @ Jun 6th 2008 1:18PM

after the tbs "pause" ad the other night i sent in an email to tbs to complain. i told them i won't watch their station anymore. (it's only reruns of family guy and seinfeld that i have ripped anyway) they sent me a cookie cutter "thanks for the feedback we appreciate it" response email and guess what? it had an ad for bill engvall at the bottom! clearly the understand my concerns.

Neutral

plozen @ Jun 6th 2008 1:19PM

I saw this too, I was floored. It was even worse when Bill bragged about being able to stop live TV. Give me a break. I fired off an email to TBS, take a look at how they responded:

http://philsplace.wordpress.com/2008/06/06/tbs-responds-sort-of/

Neutral

Old Ben @ Jun 6th 2008 1:20PM

No one has mentioned the fact that you'll see the same ad about ten times in an evening of television watching. For example, that Dodge commercial where they build the waterslide in the street and the Heineken (sp?) commercial where people are passing the beer around. They're annoying the first time and infinitely more so by the tenth time.

Neutral

Tucker @ Jun 6th 2008 1:37PM

Selected "something else" because my answer is ALL OF THE ABOVE. For the love of god, it's terrible.

Neutral

ppstonge @ Jun 6th 2008 2:01PM

What's annoying is people whining about ads. Seems like there are a couple ads every now and then on this site, no? Without them, you probably wouldn't be around for very long. Get real, people, and realize that ads are what pay the people who produce the content you love so much.

Neutral

EQC @ Jun 6th 2008 2:18PM

True...in a way...

but Engadget is free. Cable/Satellite is a service you pay for. I understand the *need* for ads on free network TV, but on cable networks shouldn't there be fewer ads? It sounds to me like ads are worse and more intrusive on many of the cable channels (I'm strictly a free/OTA watcher).

When somebody is paying for cable TV, shouldn't that reduce the number of ads relative to network TV? And how does a cable network make money on ads by advertising their own shows intrusively during other shows? That's just cruel.

I think we all know by now that your cable bill reflects individual prices for each channel. Lucky for you, even channels you don't want get bundled into your package, and you get billed for them (hidden inside the single monthly rate, of course). Great!

Perhaps it would be wise to allow "a la carte" cable -- the price per channel would go up, sure, but you could leave out all the channels you don't want, and send more money to the channels you like.

Perhaps then they would value individual viewers more...

And, if you had the power to cancel one individual channel, and cut-off their revenue stream, perhaps they'd be a little more careful about pissing you off with ads.

Highest Ranked

Chris @ Jun 6th 2008 2:17PM

I see TBS has hit a new low!

I was thinking about this this morning after trying to watch Deadliest Catch this week with a GIANT GREEN COUNTDOWN CLOCK for Planet Green across everyone's faces! Could only make it 20 mins.

NBC and CW are really becoming the worst offenders now...they have these beautifully shot shows and SPAM Text/Bugs/Olympic Rings taking up a quarter of my screen. I pay my cable bill, I pay an HD premium bill...I DON'T WANT TO KNOW THAT a "Farmer Wants a Wife" through REAPER!!!!

I think Engaget should start a daily "Worst Daily Marketing Offenders" column (similar to the "What to Watch"). Call the networks/shows out and give us names, numbers and emails to complain.

Neutral

TrentD @ Jun 6th 2008 2:36PM

Charles Schwab rotoscope ads...by FAR the worst ads on the planet. WHY do they look like that!!?!?!!?

Neutral

Slappy Wag @ Jun 6th 2008 2:51PM

You really care what the ads 'look like'? I am always on my kids about muting the TV during commercials. We try to do other things while commercials are on. I am considering getting a TV card for my computer and recording things like I used to with satellite. I just haven't gotten around to it yet, since I have the good 'ol standby: Torrent. Pretty much unlimited shows out there to be had, all clipped of commercial breaks, and only the stupid banner ads (or in this case, pausing the show and slapping your commercial over it... nothing that can't be edited out before seeding the show, right?).

Highest Ranked

michael @ Jun 6th 2008 3:08PM

i've bitched about this problem on AVS already. it's been going on for nearly a week and TBS, so far is the only channel pausing shows to promote a piece of shit show. other channels like TNT and NBC have these massive ads that take up the bottom third of the screen while FX has ads on the bottom right corner (1/4 of the screen) complete with animations and sounds (for example, the promos for Damages, Nip/Tuck, and Rescue Me). i'm paying $117 a month for TV shows, not fucking commercials!!! especially not commercials during shows!!!

and as for engadget, you guys should have put up an option that said "all of the above" or something similar.

Neutral

miro @ Jun 6th 2008 3:09PM

This is lame. I've seen this a few times and the times it has come up, there's only like 5 seconds of the show left before a commercial break. WTF. Why not just let the show go to commercial and then run an ad for that shitty show? Oh yeah, it's just another way for them to get in advertising BEFORE the commercial break.

Assholes.

Neutral

cypherstream @ Jun 6th 2008 4:24PM

I've seen this very ad on TBS a few times this week. Boy I can't tell you how much it pissed me off! It's bad enough to put bugs and other animations across the bottom of the screen, but then to PAUSE IT, and start talking in the middle of the show? HOW RUDE IS THAT? I don't walk up to their house pause their TV and start trying to sell something to them!

The thing is, after he unpauses it, theres only like 15 seconds of show left, and then it's commercial time. He could of at least waited a little bit more and had an actual commercial with all of the other commercials! Or hell, I don't care if he pauses the commercials and promotes his show.

I can tell you this though, I WILL NOT WATCH the Bill Engvall show, because the horrendous way they are advertising it. I'd advise everyone else to do the same and get the word out.

Neutral

Pip @ Jun 6th 2008 4:58PM

I watched the pilot of that new show Fear Itself.

In the lower right was the typical "NBC HD", and in the left MIDDLE, on the actual screen in the content was an ad for some new show. Right on the actual show. It NEVER went away.

I turned the channel, and wont be watching that show again. I may netflix it in the future, but until then, they wont get my ratings, and if it goes off the air, it's their own fault.

Neutral

andyo @ Jun 7th 2008 3:54AM

Are you a Nielsen guy?

Neutral

Michael @ Jun 6th 2008 7:49PM

adds that pop up on websites but not the good ol popups where u can click the close button in the top right corner of the WINDOW pop up ads arew no longer ads not they are flash based elements from hell where u cant find the close button

Neutral

Ben Wraith @ Jun 6th 2008 8:15PM

I haven't had to deal with anything that keeps me from skipping over ads. But I just mind non-HD, really poor picture quality, obnoxious ads that go on forever. I have no problem watching good-looking HD ads that I either have some mild interest in or are funny.

Neutral

dj496 @ Jun 6th 2008 8:21PM

Advertising on Revision3.

Neutral

charles.homsy @ Jun 7th 2008 8:27AM

Went to see Kung Fu Panda last night at the local mega-beatyoudownwithourfiftydollarpopcorntubs-plex, had to sit through ten minutes of television commercials before one movie trailer played! If this continues, Sunrise Theaters, your going to start loosing your $60 a week from me! AMC lost me years ago. Who's next? Muvico? Regal? Are you all hurting that bad from loosing so many movie watchers to television and the DVD that you seem to think you have to make us sit through this garbage. Idontthinkso. Y'all are starting to get like the theme parks in Orlando and pricing yourselves out of the market. In this case greed is NOT good! WAKE UP!

Neutral

DoctaDJones @ Jun 7th 2008 10:20AM

Do the networks really think that people actually watched all the commercials before DVR's were available.

My parents never watch a commercial, and they don't have a DVR.
When the break comes they either change the channel or mute the TV and read a magazine article.

(And why aren't magazine companies complaining about people turning the page before they read the entire ad?)

Neutral

TNP @ Jun 7th 2008 12:41PM

In related news, doctors say Bill Engvall has a long road to recovery after being kidnapped and having five DVR remotes inserted into his rectal chamber.

Neutral

ChiWax @ Jun 8th 2008 12:39AM

Frank Caliendo ads last October + this Bill Engvall promo = sickos

Not to mention they are clearly taking a big shot at DVR users. And people wonder why some of us buy our favorite shows on Amazon Unbox. CAUSE WE CAN WATCH THEM IN A PLAYLIST!!!! WITHOUT BILL ENGVALL OR ANYONE ELSE RUINING IT!!!! Q.

Neutral

Timezones @ Jun 10th 2008 4:08PM

WITHOUT A DOUBT....the most annoying form of advertising is when FOX airs the MLB playoffs. They angle the camera so half of the screen is the pitcher and the batter and the other half is a super-imposed ad for one of their absolutely horrible TV shows. I feel like I can't focus on the actual game when this bright glowing sign is taking up half my screen. DRIVES ME NUTS.

Neutral

Brandon @ Jul 28th 2008 6:04PM

I saw a clip of Bill Engvall...it reminded me why I don't watch TBS or TNT. However, the most obnoxious is NBC, who insists on placing the most obtrusive ads (for a broadcast network) after every break, and now places a huge banner ad for the Olympics, which starts with athletes running across the screen, which transforms into a large 8.8.08. We get it, NBC! You wonder why your network comes into 4th place? That's part of the reason.

My other problem is with the "squeezed credits" trend, that allows for another commercial for a garbage show, at the risk of making the closing credits inaudible and unreadable. Big Brother has invaded our TVs, and I don't mean the show on CBS.

I long for the day when someone comes up with a pop-up blocker for TVs, except no beeping noise when a pop-up is blocked. Until then I could just put a roll of duct tape across the bottom 1/3 of my TV screen. ;-) How about the FCC actually look into something worthwhile, instead of gripes about Janet Jackson's nipples?

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