Advertising analysis – Insensitive pop-up ads
During the second nail-biting T20 match between Pakistan and Australia, I sat at the edge of my seat, eyes glued to the screen, my fingers running vigorously on my phone keys as I tweeted the updates.
Occasionally I would glance down at my phone while tweeting but tried my best to remain focused to the screen. On one such occasion, as I looked back on the screen, I saw an entire forest of apple trees growing in the middle of the field. My fingers stopped mid-tweet as I stared at the trees collapse at the same speed they had grown. I was too horrified to even notice the Fruita Vitals Apple Nectar tetra pack in the middle of the trees (I spotted it the second time the pop-up was shown). Baffled for a few seconds, I forgot what I was tweeting. I backspaced and started again, this time tweeting on the pop-up that had appeared rather than an intense game update.
What was more annoying was that in a game as intense as that, every time your eyes would run around the field spotting players, you would be distracted by the Neslte Nesfruta pop-up, where a bat hits a mango, consequently splashing mango juice on your TV screen. Do they make Nesfruta buy squishing mangoes with a bat? Even though it was associated with cricket, the way you portray your product shows exactly how much you value it yourself.
The level of insensitivity of pop-up ads was widely proven by the Service ‘Win with Skooz School Shoes’ bus pop-up, where a school bus goes round on the field, stops to spill out the prizes you can win and then drives off the field.
When you’re watching something intently, any distracting pop-up has an unpleasant reaction. Many cricket fans were taken aback by the Servis bus, as it instantly reminded them of the Lahore bus attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team.
Advertising is an effective medium of publicity, but it becomes nauseating when it takes over a game of cricket, especially in Pakistan. What is confusing is why does a game of cricket have to become all about the advertisements? Every player is endorsed. From catches, to boundaries, to the cheerleaders – all are promoting some brand or the other.
Thankfully these pop-ups did not show up every time a ball was running to the boundary, which I recall happened in previous matches a few years ago, making it almost annoying to follow the match.
Nevertheless, TV ads have suddenly found a whole new way to invade our space. Not only are pop-up ads shown during the middle of an over where a product will jump out of the field, on to the screen and go off just in time for the next delivery, but also the reduction of the screen to advertise a product with an ugly lower third is distracting.
Last year, Ten Cricket was issued a show-cause notice by the Indian government’s Information and Broadcasting Ministry for violating the country’s advertising codes during its coverage of the series between India and South Africa.
I also came across another article that spoke of pop-up ads on best homes in Bangalore shown on Indian media while reporting on the destroyed houses during the severe earthquake in northern Pakistan, a few years ago.
With the amount of nonsensical ads being produced these days, at least programme times should be kept clean feed. Ads should strictly be shown only between programmes as a distinguisher, but not interfere with lower thirds and infuriating screen reductions.
For the record, the super over in the second T20 match was the best. Not as much for the intensity but because it was clean feed.
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The writer is a New Media Design Manager at Dawn.com
it was awesome, i like this new concept
suggestion: switch to PTV sports it does not have pop up ads AS YET.
agreed- best advice.. 2ndly.. no body i know referred to Srilankan angle after seeing the BUS episode
I think the best way to stop this non-sense is to write to the manufacturers of these products and ask them how irritating these ads are and making people not to buy these products. Only they can enforce the marketing companies and TVs to change their ways.
Avertisements are meant to introduce your product and to increase the sales.
Unnecessary advertisements at the wrong times “defeats” the purpose and the
Sales will not grow. Keep such advertisements away and show them after an over
is completed.
Don’t like some thing, don’t use it.
I have the choice to stop watching cricket on these annoying channels or stop buying the privacy invading products.
My choice is clear. I will try the channel with lease distraction and say no to these products.
I agree with the foce fed advertising. But a school bus reminds us of an attack on the cricket team? Really? Is this not trying to stretch the link a little beyond its worth? No need to be controversial. The point is well made without it.
i say only 1 word propaganda
Good job Mahjabeen..! it really is annoying when you are trying to put your focus on match and an ad pops up, i have a little knowledge about marketing and i think marketing is not about advertising your product at the time when everyone is glued to the screen rather it is about raising consciousness among audience when they are willing to be conscious so timing of ads is very important. I like nesfruita but in a match like 2nd T20 Nesfruita can’t take my attention away from match, so I will not bother throwing it out of window
Different people have different opinions. Being a Marketer myself, I really liked the creativity with these Ads.
I agree with the article completely. In fact, I have been wondering for a long time how no one complains about these increasing innovative techniques to irritate the viewer. How about giving the ‘creativity’ of the Marketers full rein, and leaving the public in peace at the same time? Put ALL the ads on our paid channels on a separate and exclusive “AD” channel (have more than one AD channel if you like). All of Mr Jamil’s admirers can go there and watch to their heart’s content. Let the viewership of this/these AD channels be evaluated like all other channels, and we shall see how much the public really values their ‘creativity’. Honestly, putting ads on paid channels should be illegal.
Different people have different opinions. Being a consumer I hate such ads and swear never to buy from companies choosing create annoying ads.
Mr. Raja, may Allah save us all from “creative” marketers like you. You must understand, Mr. Creative Marketer, that its not very creative to force your ads down the throat of the viewers. Objective of ads is to create a positive and favorable image and opinion. Read all the comments and see what viewers are saying. Consumers rights MUST be respected. If you were in my company, I would fire you for such creativity which creates negative opinion by infringing on consumer’s rights.
really it is nauseating especially bus reminds lahore attack……..good job mahjabeen……keep it up