• @Plibbert@lemmy.ml
    link
    fedilink
    938 months ago

    Honestly. I used to watch my dad have like 4 channels he could switch between so he didn’t have to do commercials. I used to think that was weird, and indicative of some poor character traits. I was a judgemental little shit.

    Now this meme is me. I have become my father.

    • @dual_sport_dork@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      418 months ago

      And you can’t do this anymore, at least with broadcast TV. My local diner as a bunch of TV’s on about the place, all tuned to the local Fox, CBS, NBC, etc. affiliates so you have the rare opportunity to see them all at once. They’re all timed so their commercial breaks coincide with one another. It’s down to the split second – every channel goes to commercial at the same time, for the same length of time. It has to be intentional.

      • @Wrench@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        78 months ago

        That was mostly the case in the 90s as well. On the 30m mark, everything was wrapping up / starting at the same time. In the middle, you might have 30-90 seconds of a show on another channel that was throwing to commercial at a slightly different time.

        • @sangriaferret@sh.itjust.works
          link
          fedilink
          78 months ago

          This is why TBS always started programs at five past the half hour. When the program was finished you would have missed the first five minutes of any program on another network thus encouraging you to stay tuned to TBS .

    • @kandoh@reddthat.com
      link
      fedilink
      58 months ago

      Used to have it down to a science. 03 Global > 25 YTV > 28 Fox > 32 Spike TV > 44 Comedy Network > 45 Teletoon > 47 TBS > 50 Space

      I never had to see a commercial

    • @lugal@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      38 months ago

      I did the same thing and I thought it’s pretty normal. You can tell your 90s self that if it makes them feel good

    • kratoz29
      link
      fedilink
      English
      18 months ago

      I sometimes attempt to do that with Pluto TV, but they really enforce putting ads at the same time in almost all the channels.

  • @Kyyrypyy@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    91
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    -The break meant that there would be at least 15 minutes of no ads after

    -During that long break you had the ability to empty your bladder, or get more snacks

    -You didn’t get repeats of ads during that singular break

    -The ads weren’t targeted to you specifically, but targeted to the viewers of the show you were watching

    -The advertisers saw value in “quality over quantity”

    • @Sprokes@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      208 months ago

      I am watching sitcoms from the 70s and you notice that they last for 25-26 minutes instead of 22 minutes.

    • Oh my God the repeating ads really are what makes it so much worse. Whenever I watch something on Hulu I have to sit through the same three commercials and it becomes completely mind numbing. Cable had more variety since it wasn’t as targeted.

      • @letsgo@lemm.ee
        link
        fedilink
        78 months ago

        I’ve never been able to see the point of repeated ads. If I didn’t want the thing 30 seconds ago I’m still not going to want it now. PTL for 30s jump forward, not even fastforwarding ads these days.

        • @reversebananimals@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          48 months ago

          I know your question is probably rhetorical, but the answer is that advertising isn’t really about persuading people to buy something specific. Its about creating an association in people’s brains, so that the next time you think about toilet paper, your brain automatically thinks “Charmin” and your decision making changes from “what brand should I buy” to “why not Charmin”.

          The more times they yell it at you, the stronger the association gets. They don’t care if you like it or not, they want to train you like an animal.

  • @ThatWeirdGuy1001@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    548 months ago

    Yeah sorry not every aspect of my life needs to have advertisements trying to ram themselves down my throat.

    Let me just enjoy something without interrupting me every 5-10 minutes.

    Also idk about you but commercials on TV were just as infuriating to deal with

  • @kandoh@reddthat.com
    link
    fedilink
    278 months ago

    The 90s ads gave me time to use the bathroom and get snacks in an era where shows could not be paused. I took advantage of that time.

    Now it’s too short to do anything, or I need to press a button to end the commercial after 5 seconds, requiring my attention.

    • @hackitfast@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      78 months ago

      Not to mention that the 5 seconds countdown timer is bullshit. In actuality, the timer appears after about a second of playing through the ad, then locks at 5 seconds for about a second and a half, then slowly counts down to 1 where it locks for a second and a half again, and finally gives you the option to skip the ad. I’d wager it’s closer to 7 or 8 seconds per “5 second” ad.

  • @ikidd@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    238 months ago

    There is a limited amount of tolerance for ads, and I had that all used up by the time I was 25. Now they can all go fuck themselves and I’ll read a book or build an end table before I watch another ad.

  • @pensivepangolin@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    218 months ago

    It’s hard to retain patience when literally everything everywhere all the time constantly tries to shovel ads down your throat

  • CarlsIII
    link
    fedilink
    20
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    It could be nostalgia, but I feel like commercials used to be a lot better. Well produced jingles, kinda funny characters, etc. In the 90’s, everything on MTV was designed to make you feel cool for watching it, even the commercials.

    Now there are just too many ads for medications. Oh, and those ads that pretend to be the lowest quality twitch streams with no production at all.

    • @The_v@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      78 months ago

      There were two types of ads on TV. The expensive widely broadcasted ads from the big firms. These are likely the ones you remember.

      Then there were the locally produced low budget ads. Like the car dealerships dressed in costumes shouting at the camera.

      • CarlsIII
        link
        fedilink
        2
        edit-2
        8 months ago

        Those were fun too. Cal had a different animal in each ad!

        Edit: also, Ernest!

  • @kemsat@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    208 months ago

    90’s me had a lot more free time, since he was a child being carried by my parents. So, my free time is waaaaay more valuable now.

  • NutWrench
    link
    fedilink
    188 months ago

    Ads are a way for corporations to steal your life from you, 2-3 minutes at a time.

    • /home/pineapplelover
      link
      fedilink
      28 months ago

      Brave has a counter for how much time you’ve saved by blocking ads. I have many days of my life saved.

  • @Smacks@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    178 months ago

    I’ve recently gotten hit by the 3-strike adblocker blocker. Had to download a Tampermonkey script to get around that shit.

    YouTube makes enough money off selling my browsing history and stats, I don’t need to waste my time watching 3 unskippable ads.

  • @Belgdore@lemm.ee
    link
    fedilink
    168 months ago

    I remember forgetting what I was watching because of the length of commercial breaks back then. There is a good reason to hate ads.

  • Quasar
    link
    fedilink
    English
    168 months ago

    I’ll admit it does feel like someone killed my dog when it’s the SAME ad over and over.