Can "Less Is More" Work On Air?

We discussed "blinks" a few months back. These are one-second radio ads currently being promoted by Clear Channel. The buzz is rising again as marketers try to apply them to their own brands. To help, a new format has been introduced: the adlet. Adlets are 5-second spots peppered in with blinks or advertising spots of more traditional lengths. But so far, only Fox has stepped up to buy any of these micro-ads.

The real issue at hand is brand awareness vs. affordability. The more brief a spot, the less costly it is and therefore the more appealing it might be to an up and coming advertiser. If you happen to have the Homer Simpson "D'oh!" in your stable of brand icons, consumer recognition is extremely high. But for a relatively new brand, or one without immediate familiarity with an audience, these short spots can fall on deaf ears.

The varied format lengths were created out of creative necessity. TV viewers and radio listeners often endure lengthy commercial breaks and typically channel surf during that time. To keep revenue and audience retention high the shorter formats were introduced.

It's far too early to tell if it will be widely accepted. But in the near future, I believe it still works best for iconic brands that are simply trying to reinforce the image they've invested so much to create.