Local adverts on Virgin Media

[i.h]

It's a shame AdSmart can't be used on NOW, but I suspect it'd be too complex, even if it's possible to slot in commercials using IP numbers.

IP addresses don't tie you to a specific location. whatismyip.com in its default state thinks I'm in London. And unless Midlands Today/Central News had had a major range boost, I know that is not right

That will depend on the ISP. The big ISPs have lots more regional infrastructure and therefore allocate IP ranges on that basis, so the geo IP services can have a pretty good guess of where you live (or at least the nearest town). The smaller ISPs that pay BT/TalkTalk/etc to aggregate traffic and hand it over in a handful of locations won't do this - you'll probably get where their HQ is located instead

Some geo IP services are better than others, that website also says I'm in London but others (e.g. maxmind) get it right.

I've had the streaming radio equivalent of Pete's example - ads for Very Local Busineses for Very Local People, and even ads for the correct local authority as well

[Steve in Pudsey]

I saw some very targeted ads for Yorkshire Water a little while ago with each major town/city seeming to get its own version.

My tweet to YW suggesting that it was a vanity project, advertising (with no call to action) a service with no competitors that we have no choice but to use, and the budget could be better used in fixing leaks or reducing my water bill did not seem to be well received

[JayCasey]

I think this is to do with Virgin adopting Sky's AdSmart system which inserts local adverts over the top of the national/network feed.

It's not perfect - sometimes it seems to be a second late so you get a bit of the national advert, and it cuts off a bit of the next ad.

Also Sky's channels have for a few years had Virgin-specific adverts for their own shows or services.

Didn't realise Virgin had taken the system too. What you describe reminds me a little of the analogue cable days when the local provider would occasionally play a local company or their own adverts over the top of a trail on the live feed - there's some examples on YouTube.

I think I've seen mention of a signal in the VBI triggering them. Needless to say it was hardly ever seamless, and as often was in and/or out with a non-sync cut.

For a brief period of time when NTL and Telewest merged, but before the rebrand to Virgin, they would replace the last ad in a break with an advert for their combined services (I think under the NTL:Telewest brand). No idea why of course since if you were seeing them, you were already subscribed.

Telewest, certainly the old Birmingham Cable region used to put in local ads on analogue cable. I clearly remember in the late 90's watching CNN International, where there was a 60-second opt-out twice an hour and getting ads for "Kavs for Lavs" plumbing services in the Birmingham area!

[Richjj1978]

It didn't always work on Cable Midlands/Telewest in the Black Country.

The CNN opt out sometimes carried on using the scheduled breaks during breaking news. The MTV and L!ve TV ones seemed to be a little out of sync and there were a few seconds or so of the national ad.

There was also a local opt-out on L!ve TV for the Tony Butler sports show from Birmingham L!ve. None of the other shows from that service ever appeared in the Black Country, but the sport show was a regular, complete with Birmingham local teletext.

[Mike]

Telewest, certainly the old Birmingham Cable region used to put in local ads on analogue cable. I clearly remember in the late 90's watching CNN International, where there was a 60-second opt-out twice an hour and getting ads for "Kavs for Lavs" plumbing services in the Birmingham area!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAj1NX6r3x0
There's an example of a local advert insert into MTV from Birmingham Cable, and for nostalgia, here's Bob Warman touting for business.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hsE7nP3zPC4

[channel4squares1]

Could that also be why I sometimes get adverts for Trade Centre UK (for Wednesbury and Coventry) on Challenge TV where I am?

[Op4bridge]

But how comes I (Bexleyheath) Get Bristol Street Motors

[Mike]

But how comes I (Bexleyheath) Get Bristol Street Motors

Bristol Street Motors have dealerships all over, North of the river there's one at Chingford, and google maps shows one in Bromley and one in Orpington.