Professor Deborah Morrison on CNN

University of Texas at Austin--In mid September 2002, University of Texas Creative Advertising Professor Deborah Morrison was contacted by CNN to conduct an interview on "The Marriage of TV Commercials and the Internet".

According to CNN, many researchers have recently been perplexed by the odd behavior of Internet users -- the same people who are going out of their way to avoid commercial advertising are turning to the Internet to seek out specific TV advertisements on websites like adcritic.  Although more and more people are using computer programs to filter out pop-ups and banner ads and buying digital devices to zap TV commercials, they are going in droves to websites that feature popular TV commercials as streaming videos.

Wallace Snyder, President/CEO of the American Ad Association and University of Texas Professor Deborah Morrison discussed various reasons why the on-line nature of the web is potentially the perfect forum for advertisements that were successful on TV.

According to Professor Morrison, advertising should, "work and reward", meaning that advertisements should be both effective and enjoyable. In her opinion, entertainment is a part of the "reward" and the Internet provides ample opportunities. As in any creative endeavor, Professor Morrison stated that advertising should be "breaking rules all of the time"--the Internet provides a unique environment in which advertisers can break new ground and try new ideas. TV commercials via the Internet offer consumers a couple of things, "more chance to hear the stories" and "more chance to get the details of those things they [consumers] really enjoy and feel connected to." The commercials featured on the Internet are therefore "telling a story and creating connections with brands...in a magical, Harry Potter kind of way."

10/3/2002