Adler: Godfather of Television Advertising
By Stanley Rubenti
stanley.rubenti@collegedegreereview.com
College Degree Review Columnist
Television advertising students and executives all over the world should take a moment pause to reflect on the phenomenal accomplishments of Robert Adler, one of the industry's unsung heroes. Adler recently passed away at the ripe age of 93 with nearly 180 patents to his name.
Probably his most important invention was the remote control (also known as zapper or clicker). This one momentous act revolutionized the way that Americans interacted with television, and thus, it changed the way that advertisers interacted with consumers.
Shouldn't TV Advertising Execs Be Annoyed with Robert Adler?
In a way, Adler's invention brought unprecedented competition to the world of television advertising. Marketers and promoters could no longer rely on watered down commercial spots spliced into drab programming. If television viewers could switch between stations with the push of a button, advertisers and television studios had to rethink their whole format. They had to invest in more creative talent, conduct more brand marketing, lead more focus groups, and constantly revise their approach to traditional television advertising. So in a way, Robert Adler could be construed as something of a pariah to the TV advertising industry. However, despite these substantial setbacks (and they were substantial), his influence actually did more good than harm.
Television Advertising is a $74 Billion Industry
Thanks to Adler's invention, television advertising has now become a mega-industry that provides jobs, cash flow, and opportunities to thousands of Americans across the country. These individuals are responsible for the million-dollar Super Bowl spots, first-rate programming, nail-biting cliffhangers, hilarious commercials, and addictive series that we've come to enjoy over the years.
But with $74 billion on the line, it should be no surprise that TV studios and advertising firms only hire those who have completed sufficient training in areas such as marketing, public relations, business administration, network programming, multimedia, graphic design, psychology, journalism, English, and countless other fields germane to the larger television advertising industry. However, after earning an advertising degree, it's comforting to know that there exists so much wiggle room between the current median salary of $40,000 and the current industry cap of $74 billion.
Sources
About the Author
A freelance writer, Stanley Rubenti currently lives in Bangkok, where he provides admissions consultation for college-bound students. Stanley holds a B.A. in history.
Posted on: May 8, 2007
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