15 seconds of sports. Thanks?
October 7, 2022 5:43 PM Subscribe
What's this strange new phenomenon I've noticed in TV advertising including sports on the side?
I've now seen a couple instances where I'll be watching something (this time on Pluto TV; I can't remember what streaming service I saw it on before) where an ad break will happen and on one of the ads it'll have the ad taking up half the screen and then there will be a little box on the other side showing footage of a seemingly random sports game. The first time it was basketball. This time it was college football. At first I thought it might be the ad trying to keep people from missing part of a game but A) it's not as if the game was playing before the break. I was watching Crocodile Dundee) and B) I don't even think it was from a live game (I don't see that Delaware and Rhode Island are even playing today). It seems to be just 15 seconds of a random game. What is going on here? It doesn't make any sense to me.
I've now seen a couple instances where I'll be watching something (this time on Pluto TV; I can't remember what streaming service I saw it on before) where an ad break will happen and on one of the ads it'll have the ad taking up half the screen and then there will be a little box on the other side showing footage of a seemingly random sports game. The first time it was basketball. This time it was college football. At first I thought it might be the ad trying to keep people from missing part of a game but A) it's not as if the game was playing before the break. I was watching Crocodile Dundee) and B) I don't even think it was from a live game (I don't see that Delaware and Rhode Island are even playing today). It seems to be just 15 seconds of a random game. What is going on here? It doesn't make any sense to me.
Someone on reddit asked the same thing and the answer there was inconclusive. Perhaps it is a placeholder for when they actually do ads during live sports, where the split-screen is a pretty established thing.
It might also grab your attention more if your brain was wired for sports and the ad made you think you were missing something.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:42 PM on October 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
It might also grab your attention more if your brain was wired for sports and the ad made you think you were missing something.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:42 PM on October 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
We've noticed this and chalked it up to Pluto is weird
posted by vrakatar at 7:51 PM on October 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by vrakatar at 7:51 PM on October 7, 2022 [2 favorites]
This has been the subject of some debate in my household, because the first time I noticed this it was an ad for my employer ( but we’ve seen it with other Pluto ads since). My theory was maybe it was some kind of discounted ad rate, so that’s why there’s this other potential distraction on the screen. My spouse completely disagrees, but doesn’t have an alternative explanation. We are just as flummoxed.
posted by DiscourseMarker at 8:41 PM on October 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by DiscourseMarker at 8:41 PM on October 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
Maybe they're trying to trigger an "oh crap, the game's starting" reflex to trick people into looking at the screen and engaging with the advertisement?
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 9:42 PM on October 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Blue Jello Elf at 9:42 PM on October 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
We see this too (pluto tv for us, though i saw someone online noted it on tubi as well). Ours were all political ads until recently, so we joked it was a sort of apology—ugh, politics, eh, viewers? Here’s a tiny game snippet too! We're so neutral! Don't hate! Our best srs guess was cheaper ad buy for candidates or companies.
I did find a pluto tv facebook group that mentions the ads, but no info, just the same wonderment.
posted by pepper bird at 3:49 AM on October 8, 2022
I did find a pluto tv facebook group that mentions the ads, but no info, just the same wonderment.
posted by pepper bird at 3:49 AM on October 8, 2022
It’s called “side-by-side” and it’s been a staple for sports on (US) network tv for ages now. You especially see it during auto races, where the action doesn’t stop for commercial breaks. I suspect you might see it during non-stop sports such as soccer, as well.
posted by Thorzdad at 11:13 AM on October 9, 2022
posted by Thorzdad at 11:13 AM on October 9, 2022
It’s called “side-by-side” and it’s been a staple for sports on (US) network tv for ages now. You especially see it during auto races, where the action doesn’t stop for commercial breaks.
Except its not, because the sports being shown next to the ad is NOT what you are currently watching. For example, we see these a lot watching Iron Chef — it will cut to commercial and then you get a split screen of some random sports (like one time it was minor league baseball) with no sound, and then the other side is the ad. And then it’s back to Iron Chef. A lot of the time the sports being shown in the split screen doesn’t even look like something that is regularly televised.
posted by DiscourseMarker at 11:31 AM on October 9, 2022 [4 favorites]
Except its not, because the sports being shown next to the ad is NOT what you are currently watching. For example, we see these a lot watching Iron Chef — it will cut to commercial and then you get a split screen of some random sports (like one time it was minor league baseball) with no sound, and then the other side is the ad. And then it’s back to Iron Chef. A lot of the time the sports being shown in the split screen doesn’t even look like something that is regularly televised.
posted by DiscourseMarker at 11:31 AM on October 9, 2022 [4 favorites]
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posted by downtohisturtles at 6:08 PM on October 7, 2022