Yeah, I know. You hate commercials. You hate the sudden interruption of your favorite show to see three, four, or five thirty-second poorly created hard-to-differentiate video presentations on a product you don’t like, don’t want, don’t need, or don’t use.

Me too.

You want to get back to the show, the game, the newscast. See the bad guy get his ass nailed, the final two minutes of the tight game, or news on the latest scoop on the election cycle. The last thing you want to see is a series of presentations about pills that can make you pee better, a car that supposedly makes you cool, and a law firm that chases ambulances.

Me too.

But every once and a while, you’ll watch something that will catch your eye. It will make you laugh. Chuckle inside. You’ll be able to relate to it. Or you’ll be impressed because it’s impressive, not because the commercial is trying to pretend that it’s impressive with itself. Or you’ll think, shit, how did they do that?

Me too.

If that’s what happens, then that’s a commercial that will likely end up on Firebrand.

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I have had my name in to play with Joost for months and months and this morning I was sent this email.

Joost beta live email

Check out Joost yourself. It is pretty addictive and there is no lag for me and I only have a regular 1.5-MBPS-down collection. I have been watching episodes of Moon Light all morning while trying to work.

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Mediaweek reported last week that MSN is going to limit it’s veiwers pre-roll exposure to what it had currently been. I don’t think it goes far enough but it sure is a step in the right direction.

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Cable companies are looking to standardize interactive ads that are offered across cable systems. This makes a lot of sense everyone I would think. Cable companies play a vital role in the content delivery of what we watch. It’s in their interest to allow content providers - all those networks - to offer standardized ad units so ad agencies and their clients - the ones who are paying for the show to be placed on cable - create and deliver ads to us - the audience.

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Cox has agreed to interfere with our decision making process now as they’ve agreed to carry shows from ABC and NBC on their Video On Demand service post a show’s initial run. ABC has chosen to run it’s top rated series (Grey’s Anatomy, Lost, Desperate Housewives), while NBC will be showing it promising but not quite fulfilling potential shows such as 30 Rock and Friday Night Lights.

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