Barbara Ortagus »

I just read on the Wall Street Journal that Dominos and Tivo have partnered up to let you order pizza through your television.

People who have broadband Tivo will be prompted with a pop up ad asking them if they would like to order pizza when they fast forward through a Domino’s commercial.  They will then be sent to an ordering screen.

I can certainly understand how this sort of thing gets thought up.  Technology frequently outpaces traditional business and obviously in our digital media age, we are given opportunities to skip past commercials my more easily.  It was bad enough when I used to visually fast forward with my old VCR, but at least I could still see the commercial sped up.  Now with my 30-sec skip button, I don’t see them at all.

So this companies need to be creative to reach technically savvy eyeballs and I applaud them for their ability to think outside the box.  Whether we like it or not, television needs advertisers to sustain itself.  If sponsors feel that their marketing dollars are not being effective then they will pull their support and that has a the trickle down on the creation of new network content.

But for the worst of couch potatoes I don’t know if this is exactly in the best interests of their long term health.  Who are we to deny them the little bit of exercise they got when reaching for the phone or digging  for  coupons.

When this extends to other  products and services I fear for the weak willed as their impulse shopping sensitivities are assaulted by click of the button opportunities to pick up the latest Sham-wow.

In the meantime I’ll just avert my eyes to the floor when the Dominos delivery guy drops off my pepperoni and olive pie knowing that I am addicted to the trash on the CW.