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Paul Nelson reportingAdvertising executives say we're faced with well over 1,000 advertisements every day. Have we reached a point where even advertisers say there are too many ads?
If you fill up your gas tank at the Chevron Station on 12th Street in Ogden, you get a little something extra from the pump itself: a small television turns on so you can watch the news.
Chad Fowers says, "I think it's a distraction and not a bad distraction as you're pumping your gas." Fowers likes the TVs, even though there are some commercials thrown in. "If it was just commercials, it would drive me nuts," he adds.
Other drivers say the TVs and the ads that come with them just waste their time. One man said, "I don't like it. It bugs me, personally."
Facebook.com is trying a new ad campaign where users will make pitches for companies to their online friends. Plus, if radio ads weren't enough, now one car maker has found a way for you to see TV commercials on the road.
Gregg Stebben: "Chrysler has announced that they will have live TV in their cars. It's satellite TV and it comes from Sirius."
Some technology analysts, like Gregg Stebben, say there's enough TV in the world, we don't need it in the car. "How much of your life do you want to spend with television bombarding in the ears and bombarding you in the eyes," Stebben asks.
But advertising industry officials say they're not really bombarding anyone per se. Besides, they say if you don't like the ad, just turn it off. Randy Cummins: "If you're not interested, you'll tune out."
Da Vinci Advertising Creative Director Randy Cummins says there are certain guidelines advertisers should follow, even though some don't. "Privacy is a big thing, too. You don't want billboards in your neighborhood. You don't want solicitations on your personal cell phone," he said.
Both Cummins and Richter 7 Creative Director Dave Newbold say they really don't like telemarketers. "That's that space invasion syndrome that I can't stand. You just interrupted my private time. To me that's the same as throwing stuff on my driveway," Newbold said. He says if the advertisers were good, they would target their audience better before cold-calling random people from the phone book asking if they want to buy aluminum siding.
