iTunes "blipvert" draws controversy in UK
updated 04:55 pm EST, Fri February 20, 2009
iTunes blipvert pushes U2
A recent ad deployed through the United Kingdom's Absolute Radio -- formerly known as Virgin Radio -- has generated some controversy, writes The Guardian. The ad promotes the new U2 single "Get On Your Boots," urging listeners to buy it through iTunes. The spot is only 10 seconds long though, and required approval from the UK's Ofcom regulatory body due to worries about issues such as subliminal advertising.
The chief operating officer of Absolute, Clive Dickens, notes that Ofcom likewise questioned if a corporate relationship with Universal Music was influencing the number of times Get On Your Boots was being played on the station, between 27 to 30 times per week. Because the high rotation existed before the ad, however, concerns are said to have been dismissed.
The ad is also believed to be notable for targeting iTunes users rather than CD buyers, an indication of trends in the mainstream music industry. Downloads continue to drain buyers away from physical outlets, and iTunes remains the world's most dominant digital storefront. Within the United States it controls roughly 70 percent of sales, defeating intense rivalry from services such as Amazon and eMusic. Apple and U2 have had a close relationship however, mainly in the form of exclusives and a U2-branded iPod.
10 seconds?
02/20, 06:53pm reply
10 seconds is completely liminal.
Guest
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Joined: Nov 1999
ha
02/20, 07:58pm reply
With today's short attention span listeners they probably switch stations 3 times and were annoyed when the same ad was running when they came back.
How is this news?
malax
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Joined: Aug 2006
UK cracks me up
02/21, 10:46am reply
Once again these people are trying to justify their overpaid job.
Liminal...haha... great.
It really, really, really rankles these people to have Apple kcik their bloody asses when everyone had written them off years ago. They just can't get over it.
Bobfozz
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Joined: Jul 2008
Re: UK cracks me up
02/21, 11:31am reply
How exactly has Apple kicked the 'bloody asses' of " UK's Ofcom regulatory body"? Are you so paranoid that you think there's a group of people out there in various roles and gov't jobs who's only goal in life is to keep attacking Apple? Really?
BTW, this would still have been raised as an issue if the ad did NOT mention iTunes. It's about the length, the content, and the fact it wasn't reviewed. The only reason you heard about it was because Apple was involved, and so you think its just someone focusing on Apple.
testudo
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blipverts
02/21, 12:22pm reply
Max Headroom.... great show.
Aeolius
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not much of a blipvert
02/21, 07:06pm reply
not much of a blipvert, though. i can completely understand it, and haven't exploded into flames yet.
darkelf
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Who sold this?
02/21, 07:54pm reply
N-N-N-N-N-Networrrrrrrrrk 23?
jpellino
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paranomia...
02/21, 11:10pm reply
Paranomia!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEPq0FvFm3g
Aeolius
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Joined: Feb 2006
What a Joke!
02/22, 04:06am reply
Standard ad lengths for radio are: 10, 20, 30, 60, and 120. seconds. (See Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiocommercial).
The UK radio station in question claims the median length of an ad spot is 30 seconds, so half all of their radio ads are either 10 or 20 seconds. (See Absolute Radio UK http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/aboutus/sales/buy/airtime/).
Apple produces a standard 10 second advertisement and there is immediate controversy!I Apple can't do anything without some lawyer trying to fleece them.
Zanziboy
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Joined: Aug 2008
What a Joke!
02/22, 04:08am reply
Standard ad lengths for radio are: 10, 20, 30, 60, and 120. seconds. (See Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiocommercial).
The UK radio station in question claims the median length of an ad spot is 30 seconds, so half all of their radio ads are either 10 or 20 seconds. (See Absolute Radio UK http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/aboutus/sales/buy/airtime/).
Apple produces a standard 10 second advertisement and there is immediate controversy!I Apple can't do anything without some lawyer trying to fleece them.
Zanziboy
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Aug 2008