There is an inherent danger in merely presenting new media opportunities in an older generation construct. That being said, finding a common ground that can be described easily by the seller and understood by the buyer is imperative. The CPM-model is only one approach. The brand or agency pays for the number of "impression" response messages sent to the TV viewer who plays the off-show game on "Survivor." Another approach has more of a Google flavor, where the brand pays only on the clickthroughs but pays a premium for each one. This also has shades of the old BMG CD Club structure, where BMG would pay significant bounties for viable leads. An execution issue here is that this approach may limit types of campaigns and creativity. For example, it does not apply well to a brand awareness campaign, as the focus may not be on creating a spontaneous response, so there may not even be an opportunity to click through.

Both of these models introduce elements of great variability, which can leave forecasting and budgeting somewhere between difficult and an utter nightmare. The first factor is the viewership of each specific episode of the TV show. The second is the strength and enticement of the off-show interaction. Now the brand can increase this allure with product and cash prizes, which is itself yet another variable. The final assumption that needs to be made is the number or percentage of responders to the direct advertising. Even describing these is complicated and still may not balance the appropriate price-point and positive brand-response result.

A clear alternative is to offer a direct sponsorship of the iTV service itself. It is a flat fee, just like buying any traditional media. It lets the seller and buyer negotiate to find a comfort level, especially in the beginning, and creates other possibilities to bleed into the rest of the spending of an advertising budget. Place a TV spot in the first 15 minutes of the show, feature the product within the show and then create a natural segue from the show to your iTV response messaging. This actually has many of the flavors of early television, where P&G would actually own the shows. It is just vastly updated for this tech-using generation.

iTV media offers so much flexibility and untapped accessibility to the consumer that not addressing it is doing brands a disservice. The marketing goals that these clients hold for themselves match up all too well with the iTV opportunities available today and reinforces other buys that agencies make on their behalf. Smart marketers have recognized that consumer behaviors are driving the way to supply advertising today, and that means looking beyond what has "always been done." In the process, brands can see direct results beyond what they have "always seen."

The day is here and the opportunity has presented itself where you can get what you want and what you need.