Will the web kill TV advertising?

There is an enormous trend of people sitting in front of their TV and surfing the web at the same time. What happens when people do that? Well, they tune out the TV and tune into the web. So, if you're TV ad is running at that time, is it irrelevant?

• Yes it is.
  
• No it isn't. Your TV ad is a huge lever to getting the web surfer to interact with your brand and to take action on your TV ad's call-to-action in ways that were previously impossible. But, you have to do it right, and it has to be worthwhile for your prospect.

If I were making a TV for the Web Surfer, I'd:

• Call it out loud and clear at the start - Maybe start with an actor knocking on the TV screen, and calling out "Hey you. Yah, you, surfing the web while you watch TV. Watch this for 20 seconds."
• Provide a great hook to get people to the site. A mystery. A problem.
  
• Give a simple URL.
  
• Show the URL for a long time.
• Buy similar URLs that are mis-spellings.
• Put up a great and tightly integrated interactive micro-site that is more than just simply the TV ads.

A recent example that I experienced a couple of days ago ... I was watching TV and writing this blog, and a weird ad came on featuring "Soprano-sytle" gangsters. They come up to the TV screen and peer in at you. It gives you an awkward feeling. The ad is all quiet. At the end, there is a URL that is up for a long time that says "www.peerintoasoul.ca". What could I do? I had to satisfy my curiosity and go look at the site. It turns out the ad is for the new Kia Soul. The micro-site is not bad, but probably could have had a lot more for their target market to play with - such as a "Design your own Soul".

As with any critic, I could criticize a number of other things, but hey ... those who live in glass houses. Anyhow, I generally like what Kia did with the integration of the TV campaign and the Microsite.