Sponsored Video Streaming: Prudential.com

Again on abc.com, I found an incredibly uninspired "campaign" for prudential.com. With every break during the episode, I found myself watching the same 15-second spot. Never changing. No option to pause it and get just a link to the site. Just the same spot...over...and over...and over. It was frustrating, because not only was my show being interrupted, but the ad did nothing to distract me, and each repetition only increased my irritation.

It reminded me of what a cool opportunity sponsored video streaming presents. If one company sponsored a real-time television show, it'd be considered an innovative media buy, especially if done well. But consider this: you'd never buy all the print ads in a magazine and put the same ad over and over (unless you're Apple and you want the world to know you're nano-chromatic). You'd never buy all the commercials in a television show and put the same 30-second ad over and over. While HeadOn proved that annoyance can sometimes work to your benefit, it generally isn't considered a great move to annoy your viewers.

So get with it, Prudential, and either produce some more spots or get on some interactive.