Have a look at this email I just sent to Showtime Arabia.

Gents:

You would think that Showtime’s highest priority would be to increase the viewing pleasure of its subscribers.

That you would try to avoid showing anything that would distract, irritate or otherwise annoy your viewers. Likewise, you would certainly try to avoid showing anything that could be considered glaring, abrasive or downright jarring, right ?

Yet - that is exactly what you are doing with your self-promoting station-breaks shown every few minutes. You know the ones - those shouting images of red, blue or green bouncing balls against a harsh white background with the Showtime promotional messages blinking 20 times a second.

Exactly what I want to see between scenes of my favorite programs !

Now there’s nothing wrong with promotional ads - but yours are not tastefully done in any way whatsoever. I often skip over Showtime channels simply due to these jarring, irritating and poorly designed messages. And I’m paying for this ?

I’m considering cancelling my Showtime subscription because I’m tired of holding the TV remote constantly in one hand just to hit the MUTE button every 5 minutes.

Have you ever thought of changing these ads into something more tastefully elegant - fit for adults ? How about elimintating that garish white background, the Star Wars sound effects and the whole childish “fire-alarm” approach to advertising ?

Now I doubt very much that this email will ever be forwarded up the chain-of-command at Showtime, because your company, like most, are hierarchical fear-based organizations, who’s employees wouldn’t dare to warn their management of negative feedback from disgruntled customers.

So lets be frank, Showtime senior management signed off on these jarring, tasteless advertisements in the first place, now didn’t they !

And you will no doubt quote me that old worn-out defense that “no one ever complained about this before”, without stopping to think that most viewers feel helpless to change things beyond their control - and wouldn’t write to you anyway.

So hear the message guys. There are lots of us out here who HATE those ads.

Get it ?

Robert