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The future of TV advertising, unfortunately, will be more frequent and more insidious advertising. When ads became an integral part of TV programming in the early 50s, they were typically a continuation of the traditional radio commercial. For instance, when Bob Hope went from his popular Pepsodent-sponsored one-hour radio show, which had three or four one-minute ads for that single product, he did the same in TV.

It was typical then for the early TV primetime programs to use no more than five minutes of each hour for commercials. Today the average is 15 minutes, and the ads are for a variety of products and services. Of course, late-late night, home shopping and infomercials are total hour-consuming advertising. Further, from the relatively benign ads, often presented live by the star of the show, now primetime commercials are all pre-recorded and intended to be repeated hundreds of times.

TV advertising has advanced ... or intruded ... from a minor part of programming to taking over every aspect of it. What started out as mildly amusing is now overtly aggressive, repetitious and considerably more annoying. How many times does a viewer have to be subjected to the exact same infuriating ad for Head On, the Geico gekko or roaring car footage?

So, what does all this mean for the future? More of the same? Of course, and if possible, even more intrusive and annoying. TV will soon become just become one long infomercial. Maybe even more insidious, and with the continuing technical advances, commercials will soon be able to reach out more personally to the viewers eyes, ears and pockets.

Along with all the instant-acting doodads like the iPod, cable boxes and touch screens, it is already possible for advertisers to offer the dubious service of custom interactive ordering of products exclusively presented for that viewer's gender, age and buying preferences. Future commercials will be tailored for specific audiences, and viewers will no longer have to sit through boring ads that have nothing to do with their needs and preferences.

Viewers will be bombarded with services and products presented exclusively for them. Some products, such as fast food from local restaurants, will be ordered and delivered in a matter of minutes. That way, buyers won't have to wait until they decide to get up from the couch and go to the store to buy their products. No longer will it be necessary to fill out long online order forms because the advertiser will already have more detailed information about each viewer and family than the FBI.

The new technology will enable viewers, once their brains have been inundated with repetitious ads, to order customized products with just a click of a digital order box attached to their TV sets. Like the training of chimps, they will only have to click on buttons to get their instant satisfaction.

If only George Orwell had lived long enough to see his Big Brother nightmare become reality.

Learn more about this author, Ted Sherman.
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