On network television, the trend has been toward shorter commercials: In the first half of this year, 36 percent of national TV ads were 15 seconds long while 49 percent lasted 30 seconds, Nielsen data shows. Similarly, Fox has been able to maintain the premium for the six-second ads it is selling now by pointing to lucrative placements, like just before kickoff for an N.F.L. While the ads are being sold as part of broader packages, a six-second spot could cost, at the high end, around $200,000, they said. Fox Networks Group said in June that it would follow YouTube’s endorsement of that length and introduce six-second ads to shows on its digital platforms and then eventually on TV. The effort is being led by Joe Marchese, who was named head of ad sales for Fox Networks Group in May and previously co-founded a digital ad technology firm that was acquired by 21st Century Fox.

Source: New York Times August 30, 2017 22:38 UTC