• by Erik Sass , May 16, 2006

In an industry first, TiVo Inc. has signed a deal with Interpublic Media, a holding group that includes media firms Initiative, Magna Global, and Universal McCann--giving clients of those agencies "preferred pricing" for TiVo advertising. Although it's infamous in the ad industry for allowing consumers to fast-forward through ads in recorded programs, TiVo does offer advertising in its showcase.

The TiVo deal was brokered by Interpublic Media's Emerging Media Lab, and is clearly part of a larger effort by Interpublic Media to keep pace with changes in video consumption habits brought about by the digital revolution. For its part, "TiVo is pleased to have Interpublic Media as the first major advertising holding company to sign an upfront deal," said Tom Rogers, president and CEO, pointing to TiVo's ability to pause a program for a "branded advertising experience."

According to Mark Rosenthal, president and CEO of Interpublic Media, the deal also "provides us the opportunity to participate in the development and rollout of new advertising products" on TiVo, although he didn't specify what kind.

However, media execs from competing firms expressed skepticism about TiVo's claim that the deal constitutes an "upfront," implying that it may be more a PR stunt than anything else. "You know 'upfront' has this magic to it," said Mitch Oscar, executive vice president of Carat Digital. "Everything TiVo does is to really get press--to make it more attractive to cable operators and satellite or whomever else it's hoping to get to license its technology next."

In regard to the upfront process generally, Oscar opined: "It's lost its meaning...Upfronts are really happening all the time, so it kind of means everything and nothing."