Earlier this year, Glenn said that he wanted to experiment with new ways to do commercial advertisements on TV. He wants to focus on the stories behind the products and use those minutes between the show content to continue to tell stories so people won't change the channel or fast forward on their DVR. The new format will debut tonight, only during Glenn's show.
Back in January, Glenn told viewers “The commercial breaks we make have to be entertaining, they have to be meaningful, interesting, storylines, everything. So, you’re watching this show you don’t want to change the channel because it’s something good."
"We want to redefine advertising by bringing the ideas and concepts behind radio and original TV advertising to TV today," Glenn said in an email to Ad Age. "Live, in-program advertising benefits our viewers by entertaining them, and benefits our advertisers by most effectively sharing stories of why their products and services are so beneficial."
Joel Cheatwood, President and Chief Creative Officer, said "There's a universal concern over the drop-off in audience during the commercial breaks. We wanted to find a way to keep viewers engaged where you don't lose the audience and they are paying attention to the advertiser's message."
"We were reminiscing about how advertisers use to sell products -- relying on trusted individuals, whether it was Johnny Carson or Edward R. Murrow, to present the product," Joel said. "There's a level of trust and you never lose contact with the key person of the program."
The new tests will present live ads that more resemble TV commercials, with visual components that could include product demonstrations or employee interviews as well as the logo of the advertiser. Mr. Beck may or may not take part in the conversation, the company said. The network is working with the test's 10 advertisers -- which include Liberty Safe, Blinds.com and TV Guardian -- to develop their creative approaches.TV networks have been experimenting with different forms of TV spots as it becomes harder to get viewers to watch commercials. The results episode of "American Idol" on Fox last week included a commercial break that accompanied ads with live camera feeds from the "Idol" stage, backstage and the audience. It seemed to be the first time the "double-box" format, which has been used during some sports broadcasts, appeared in an entertainment series.
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