cni-modernization: Re: Is This Advertising?
Re: Is This Advertising?
Mike Ellsworth (mellswor@firewall.nielsen.com)
Thu, 4 Nov 93 14:43 CST
Message-Id: <m0ovBXB-0001xrC@firewall.nielsen.com>
Date: Thu, 4 Nov 93 14:43 CST
From: mellswor@firewall.nielsen.com (Mike Ellsworth)
To: cni-modernization@cni.org
Subject: Re: Is This Advertising?
>> There's a sense, though of community in a cork bulletin board and
>> there is still a sense of community on electronic networks. The
>> boundaries are hazy, and it's more a gut feeling than one defined
>> by legal borders, but just as neighborhoods lament the passing
>> of the local market and the coming of Safeway, I think we who are
>> participating in this discussion all have a sense of how we would
>> like our network neighborhoods to be. And most of us don't look
>> forward to intrusive distraction. <<
As usual, Cliff has hit it on the head. The bulletin board metaphor
works for me; it is a place I can pass by casually and scan for new
info, but it's not in my face all the time. If I have a need, I might
go check all the various bulletin boards in my neighborhood.
However, I doubt that advertisers will be satisfied with the bulletin
board (or billboard) mode, just as they are worried about viewers who
mute commercials (although they are a minority, I find) or zap them when
watching shows on tape. Advertisers do not want the user to be in
control of the message, they want the message to be presented
regardless.
Intrusive distraction is the key here. No one relishes the prospect of
armoring our electronic mailboxes against the assault of insistent
advertising. And certainly few want to be required to put up with
intrusive advertising for the privilege of being connected (a la
Prodigy).
I read a book years ago called Simulcron 3 in which a supercomputer ran
a simulated world with rules slightly different than the real world:
each citizen was required to view a certain amount of advertising each
day. Status in this society was manifested by not having to watch as
much advertising. In the book, this simulated world was used as a
testing ground for advertising, thus the rules. But I can envision net
users finding themselves in the same sort of world, trading connectivity
or access to goodies in exchange for advertising exposure.
(BTW, does anyone know who wrote that book -- I've lost it and would
love to find it again)
Mike Ellsworth
mellswor@firewall.nielsen.com
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