Good Idea! Now find a better one.

As noted on Engaget, Slashdot and elsewhere, ABC’s President of Advertising Sales Mike Shaw offers proof that the tenets of socialism and the idea of a planned economy still resonates in the bureaucratic halls of large American corporations. In his words via MediaPost Publications:

“I would love it if the MSOs, during the deployment of the new DVRs they’re putting out there, would disable the fast-forward [button],” Shaw said.

No free market capitalist would have the arrogance to dictate how a consumer consumes. It is the elite manager, safely tucked within the lofted ivory confines of a heavily controlled environment, bloated with rules and procedures who thinks that by taking the fast-forward button off the DVR will somehow eliminate viewers’ desire to skip unentertaining, untargeted, unappealing 30 second advertisements.

To the socialist, this is a world of means and tools to be managed, marshalled and consumed according to the plan. A plan conceived by an intelligent few who know what’s best for the masses.

But in a free market (well, mostly free), dynamic, unpredictable change is the rule. Beyond means and tools there are Value and Relationships. What people value cannot be planned. Relationships, genuine relationships, cannot be dictated.

Dictating that consumers of recorded content can’t fast-forward is akin to telling me what my favorite color is. I’ll tell you, thank-you-very-much.

Mr. Shaw continues:

“I’m not so sure that the whole issue really is one of commercial avoidance,” Shaw said. “It really is a matter of convenience–so you don’t miss your favorite show. And quite frankly, we’re just training a new generation of viewers to skip commercials because they can. I’m not sure that the driving reason to get a DVR in the first place is just to skip commercials. I don’t fundamentally believe that. People can understand in order to have convenience and on-demand (options), that you can’t skip commercials.”

To paraphrase: Skipping commercials isn’t part of the Plan. We need to make these people understand and get with the Plan.

For the Socialist or the Bureaucrat, the consumer must adjust to accomodate the plan. The capitalist recognizes that the consumer couldn’t give a flying car about how you think the world should work.

There is a shift going on here. While our economy grew by $2.2 trillion, or the size of the entire Chinese economy, in the past 3 years, there is a growing portion of the population that avoids traditional 30 second advertising. It’s not a problem, it’s an opportunity.

Adapt or Die. Either way, the customers will win.