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Seven to trim TV ad time

Seven will reduce advertising and break-length to give ads better 'cut through.'

Seven has announced it will reduce advertising content and break-length across its broadcast and digital channels, in a bold move it claims leads to proven ‘cut-through.’

The change will coincide with the launch of Big Brother in June, expanding to Drama and Movie programming. It already adopts a “reduced ad load” during live Sport, News and Public Affairs.

Last year Seven offered 1 minute ad breaks during Secret Bridesmaids Business

Seven West Media Chief Revenue Officer, Kurt Burnette, said: “As viewing habits evolve and choice increases, we believe there is no better time than now to enhance the free-to-air television experience for viewers and advertisers across broadcast and BVOD. Research has proven reduced ad loads can deliver more than 25 per cent increased brand recall. We’re acting on that powerful insight after months of planning and analysis.

“The result – EAVE (Enhanced Advertiser and Viewer Experience) is a long-term strategic initiative designed to deepen the way brands and consumers connect with Seven’s content and audience across platforms.”

But there are other advertising initiatives already launched or still to come including “contextual ad placement through machine learning with 7CAP (contextual ad placement – an industry first in Australia) and ‘freezeframe’ screen pop- ups.”

Seven Network Programming Director Angus Ross said: “We’ve already seen the benefit in areas we have tested, like News and other areas. Were very much looking forward to accelerating the enhanced experience across our existing and exciting new and fresh content line-up. All helping build engagement and grow audience across all platforms.”

Peter Pynta, CEO of analytics company Neuro-Insight said: “There’s rock solid evidence in the fact that break length and number of ads in breaks significantly influence ad effectiveness. The shorter the breaks and the fewer impressions within a break, the better the payback for advertisers.

“We’d implore the market to take this ad/program ecosystem seriously….and ideally see them as working in harmony.”

Updated.

23 Responses

  1. What they should do instead is invest in better content that attracts more viewers. Sounds like a better way to attract more advertisers

  2. I do many surveys where I say I watched a certain program, and after a description of a car ad that screened have no recollection of seeing it.

    The car companies are aware of recall levels, but it has taken Seven this long to wake up to themselves?

    1. Car brands would be better with a 3 X10 sec brand bumper ad rather than a 30 ad for a car that you might not buy for a few years if they only want brand recall.

  3. The number and value of ads is down, so providing less opportunity for people to flick over to 7 and 9 might help them.

    Seven use to drop points or even entire games at the start of sets in the tennis to fit in more promos and ads. Nine started with a commitment not to, so Seven doesn’t have any choice. If they drop the first ball of overs in the cricket and a wicket falls, the audience will be ropable.

  4. TV viewers have become immune to ads anyway. I think our brains have been trained to just filter out advertisements. Most of us get up to get a drink, go to the loo, pat the cat…whatever. Or, if sensible, have recorded the content and just skip through the ads on fast forward.

    I don’t know how much TV advertising costs these days, but I think it’s most likely pretty ineffective. Free to air TV will fade out completely with the last of the baby boomers, who are the last large demographic that still regularly tune in to live FTA. Even the GenXs that I know have largely moved away from FTA. Soon, they will all be just news, weather and sport providers.

  5. The cynic in me suggests I’ll only have to hit the 60 sec advance button on my remote 3 times instead of 5.
    However, 7 deserves some recognition for broadcasting the CC for Grey’s Anatony during the first-time airing of S16 on 7-flix. It’s been really appreciated 7 – thanks.
    The CC fiasco continues at TEN as brand new episodes of Hawaii 5 0 screen on BOLD with no subtitles, followed by a repeat of an episode from an earlier season that contain subtitles.
    Sigh.

  6. Looks like someone found an old 1960s Bruce Gyngell Memos file in their clean out at TCN9. “No more than 3 commercials per break. No longer than 2.30 per break”. Was adopted to attract both viewers and advertisers. Yes, true, most comms ran 30secs or 60secs in those days, however…and ‘one hour’ programs ran closer to 50mins, not like the 38-40mins as they do now.

    1. Yes it really does. This is not groundbreaking stuff.
      “Research has proven reduced ad loads can deliver more than 25 per cent increased brand recall. We’re acting on that powerful insight after months of planning and analysis.”
      My god – I could of told them this and charged them nothing….. Are they so detached from reality???

      1. “Peter Pynta, CEO of analytics company Neuro-Insight said: “There’s rock solid evidence in the fact that break length and number of ads in breaks significantly influence ad effectiveness. The shorter the breaks and the fewer impressions within a break, the better the payback for advertisers”. You mean 7 actually paid someone to tell them this? Oh, 7, here’s another one for free from Bruce Gyngell “movie segments must not run less than 20 mins”.

  7. Yes, why watch a show, when you feel like you’ve seen most of it already. There should only be a 4 week lead in promo time as these months and months of promos are annoying and do result in switching off.

  8. The reduce advertising content and break-length seems like a positive for viewers with less adverts, but the ‘freezeframe’ screen pop- ups is a concern as I already find the pop-up advertising intrusive and distracting while trying to watch a show. The pop-ups of branded content would make me stop or never buying the product. So tread carefully Seven, until I know exactly what ‘freezeframe’ screen pop- ups are, you could result in increase viewer switch off!

  9. I have always thought that the ad breaks were too long and took away the effectiveness of the ad. Mind you I stopped watching Seven because of the long breaks and discovered Amazon and Netflix.

  10. aka Seven struggling to sell ad time. The spin makes sense though. From the sounds of it they’re looking at shorter ad breaks rather than fewer.

  11. Hopefully this includes being bombarded with promos for their own content and “coming attractions’.
    I get so teed off with the incessant repetition, and am bored with the show before it even commences so I never watch it. 7 seem the worst for this.

    1. Yes, why watch a show, when you feel like you’ve seen most of it already. There should only be a 4 week lead in promo time as these months and months of promos are annoying and do result in switching off.

    2. Yes, keep it to 1 X10 sec ad bumper per break to promo new/uncomming shows and watch the trailer on facebook/youtube if you are interested.

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