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Mike Reynolds
First things first: I'm no motorhead. I was never the type who needed the fancy car in high school, nor thrilled with conversations about horsepower and dual trannys.
Similarly, my tastes in sports typically don't run down gasoline alley or toward pit row. In the vernacular, I'm a "stick and ball" kind of guy.
Yet, I found myself tuned into TBS' Oct. 8 presentation of the UAW-GM Quality 500, the coming out party for a new way to present commercials. Called "No Brakes Coverage," TBS ran a custom-designed, picture-in-picture format on the Winston Cup race that placed ads alongside continuous airing of the action.
During regularly scheduled breaks, TBS pushed the race coverage into the lower right corner of the screen, leaving the bulk of the TV frame for the commercial. These images were abutted by a horizontal race leader board, as well as a vertical space showcasing the attendant sponsor's logo.
Overall, I was impressed. With the commercial screening in full audio and the adjoining logo, I found myself staying abreast of who was delivering the spot and its message, while en-joying the race action.
Apparently, "No Brakes" was a winner with the NASCAR set. The results of a poll on the circuit's Web site last week showed that of the 102,000 respondents, 90.4% would like to see all Winston Cup races presented thusly.
TBS was pleased. "It was a helluva first effort," says Turner Sports president Mark Lazarus.
As for Madison Avenue, Lazarus says the advertisers Turner contacted were "excited to be part of the experiment and very happy with viewers response."
Over the next few months, Turner and NASCAR partner NBC, which will air a different version of "No Brakes" Nov. 12, will gauge viewer and marketer response and decide which format works best. If marketers go along for the ride, Lazarus says we should have "a clear indication toward year's-end" about what format Turner/NBC will use next year.
As for sports with natural interruptions in play, Lazarus says he doesn't envision the adoption of "No Brakes" coverage or something similar for hoops, hockey, football or baseball.
Frankly, neither do I. If it were applied to other sports, what would viewers see during a TV time out or an inning change? Bill Cowher in the face of a Steelers linebacker on the sidelines? Derek Jeter or A-Rod taking their warm-up swings in the on-deck circle? The Lakers Girls gyrating at center court? While the latter certainly has its own set of charms, the down moments in games generally are not that compelling.
Still, Lazarus remains on the lookout for applications for other sports: "There are innovative ways to present commercials that we just haven't uncovered yet."
In the meantime, Turner Sports may just find itself driving the pace car down Madison Avenue.
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