Two minute spots?

[Bar Rat]

I haven't ever heard one on radio, but just how prevalent are they on TV? I saw a Vonage spot that seemed to go on and on, so I muted the TV and timed it the next time, and it was indeed 2:00.

Plus, it was stupid to boot.

I'll never use that service.

[The-Hammer]

I know that Celebrex has been running a 2:00 - 2:30 spot for quite some time. Over a year I think.

[Big Media]

They are very prevalent in TV--particularly on cable. They are typically direct response advertisements directing you to call an 800 # either to order something or for additional information. Sometimes, they are pay per inquiry, meaning the agency pays on a dollar per lead kind of thing.

The time life music and save the children spots make me want to step in front of a speeding bus.

[Bar Rat]

There's an ASPCA one that I saw about a month ago that was probably longer than a minute. It could have been the music on the spot that made it seem like an eternity -- the music was so depressing that it would cause the most optimistic person to ponder suicide.

[cgarison]

I haven't ever heard one on radio, but just how prevalent are they on TV? I saw a Vonage spot that seemed to go on and on, so I muted the TV and timed it the next time, and it was indeed 2:00.

Plus, it was stupid to boot.

I'll never use that service.

In Philly, Clear Channel has heavily used the two second spot especially last summer. Makes for some unique segues between commercials.

[Scott Reppert]

"That's Lou's Auto Mart, Merchant Street on the East Side of Fairmont. So stop by and let 'Liberal Lou' be good to you __day."

The reason for the blank space before 'day'? The splice on the 10 year old 100 second cart obliterating the 'to'.

That was a 1:40 spot. In 1978. On radio. So what you are talking about is nothing new...

[Force Commander]

I know some talk stations sell 2 and even 3 minute "mini interviews", and charge accordingly. It's not a bad idea of produced professionally and identified as commercial matter (FCC rule).

[Lester]

"Please contact a doctor immediately if you experience an erection lasting longer than this commercial."

[Bar Rat]

"Please contact a doctor immediately if you experience an erection lasting longer than this commercial."

I told my girlfriend that if I ever had one for that long, she wasn't doing her job.

I'm single now.

[Kitesgot]

A station that I worked for about 5 years ago were sent very poorly produced :90 second spots by a "bank's agency"---and when questioned about what we were supposed to do with them, how to price them, we don't do that, they became beligerent and said there were other stations to air them.

I thought----- "Oh----so THAT is how you intrepret what is best for your client?"

We were number one in the market, but merely questioning the :90 second spot meant we were threatening the entire
idea of buying from us.

PLUS-------here's the kicker--- they were :90 second----dry-voice spots. THAT'S IT! NINETY SECONDS OF SOME GUY DRONING ON ABOUT BANKING!

[David Paleg]

I hope that Billy Mays never does a 2 minute spot. Tired of his yelling in everything he does. Hope he hurts his vocal chords someday.

[nuggie99]

I hope that Billy Mays never does a 2 minute spot. Tired of his yelling in everything he does. Hope he hurts his vocal chords someday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrnVNZpnvRI

[Bar Rat]

I hope that Billy Mays never does a 2 minute spot. Tired of his yelling in everything he does. Hope he hurts his vocal chords someday.

Amen! That guy has to be right up there with Enzyte Bob for most annoying shill out there.

[cgarison]

I know some talk stations sell 2 and even 3 minute "mini interviews", and charge accordingly. It's not a bad idea of produced professionally and identified as commercial matter (FCC rule).

Clear Channel drives me nuts with these. I also fricken hate when the DJ rattles for a minute about the book from the best seller list they are reading or when the lady djs rattle for minutes about mascara or a great store they just found. That is the easiest way to get me to hit the next preset button and move to the next station.

[Dave Loudin]

"That's Lou's Auto Mart, Merchant Street on the East Side of Fairmont. So stop by and let 'Liberal Lou' be good to you __day."

The reason for the blank space before 'day'? The splice on the 10 year old 100 second cart obliterating the 'to'.

That was a 1:40 spot. In 1978. On radio. So what you are talking about is nothing new...

Nick's spots went as long as it took for him to read the copy, right? Made running the board for a network sports event fun, no doubt. We had someone at 'SGB (that would be Liz, Mr. Boss) that could make a :30 into a :90 easily, complete with CLIPPED AUDIO (I would have hated to be the VU meter on the production board). I don't think I ever got out of an MSN break on time.

[AmpedNow]

I hope that Billy Mays never does a 2 minute spot. Tired of his yelling in everything he does. Hope he hurts his vocal chords someday.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZrnVNZpnvRI

"I'm yelling all the way to the damn bank!"

[The Big Ear]

I was going to bring this up as a new thread but it fits nicely in here...

WTF with Limbaugh now doing the live reads like Glenn Beck? The difference is that Beck changed his whole "wheel" of programming so the monologue would go 20-22minutes, then you get a live :60-:90 for the main sponsor for the half hour... then maybe 3-4 minutes of wrap up before the bottom of the hour break.

Now Limbaugh is doing the hot water heater and General Motors spots in the middle of his diatribe at just about any point in the hour - sometimes Allen Brothers steaks too. One time I thought it was funny slipping in a sponsor in mid stream. Then two times made me wonder if it was a new format. Now it's about once an hour somewhere. Maybe it's "value added" for a client, but if I were a program director, I'd be pissed off that this is just another ad inside this show when ad time is probably very sparse for local stations as it is.

Now, I haven't checked to see if he's SUBTRACTING ad time from the normal national commerical load, but I think I know the answer...probably NOT.

He used to hold me for an entire segment, but if I hear the ad coming on mid-stream, I'll flip. It may be a "new" format, but even the best radio folks can't hope to hold listeners if they start a thought - then jog into talking steaks or water heaters - then try to get back to the topic at hand and then take a produced break.

Beck's "innovation" opened a can of worms.

[lastone]

In the early 90's, we were "forced" to do spots in excess of 80 secs for Dawahers (a KY womens clothing store). The local copy was always over 60 and they insisted on the opening and closing jingle and bed. The owner refused to refuse.

[Bar Rat]

I hope that Billy Mays never does a 2 minute spot. Tired of his yelling in everything he does. Hope he hurts his vocal chords someday.

http://carinas.livejournal.com/85704.html

Billy, the obnoxious cleaner