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New Targeted Ads Run On TiVo

TiVo, maker of a popular digital video recorder, has a new "program placement" feature that offers customers the chance to watch a commercial or a promotion for another show after viewing a recorded program.

Each time TiVo customers view a recorded program, new menu options will appear, including a brand logo or question asking if the viewer would like to watch promotional content, which can run to two minutes. The feature is opt-in, so that customers can watch products they are interested in and skip the rest. ,br>

For advertisers, TiVo is offering to target their ads to a specific show or genre, and it will also record the view and response rate. The Weather Channel, for example, is offering a spot for a new show called "Abrams & Bettes." TiVo can now measure how many people view the promo, and how many set their TiVo to record the show afterward.

The catch? The culture of TiVo is based on avoiding commercials, says Todd Chanko, a JupiterResearch analyst. "Is this what people signed on for? Is this what people bought into when they subscribed to TiVo? No. They wanted this weird device that comes up with programs you might like, tapes shows and helps skip commercials."

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