Virgin Media interrupts ad breaks
Virgin Media is taking over the ad breaks during ITV1’s coverage of The Brits tonight (21 February) to highlight the benefits of watching TV online using its “super fast” broadband.
The broadband provider will “interrupt” ads from other advertisers including Yeo Valley and Citroen, with the online buffering wheel commonly seen when viewers watch TV online using slow internet connections.
Viewers will see the first few seconds of the Yeo Valley or Citroen ad, which will then freeze and be replaced by the buffering wheel while Virgin Media asks viewers why they put up with buffering online when they would not accept it on TV.
Jeff Dodds, executive director of brand and marketing communications at Virgin Media, says: “The unexpected interruption to primetime TV brings home the message that viewers shouldn’t settle for buffering on TV or online. More and more people are watching content online, from BBC iPlayer to LoveFilm and YouTube, and they deserve a great viewing experience every time.”
Virgin Media is currently doubling the broadband speeds of more than four million of its customers’ homes and hopes to boost its top speed to 120MB in line with its aim to be the fastest broadband provider in the UK.
It is currently running an ad campaign featuring sprinter Usain Bolt masquerading as Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson to promote its broadband speeds.