Live Commercials Return to TV

Although NBC and its shows are in the live commercials game, Post doesn't predict a proliferation of live commercials on the network's airwaves. "There has been a ton of interest [from advertisers], but it doesn't work for everybody," Post says. "You have to make sure that as you go down this road, everybody knows what they're in for and that it works for all parties."

Over at ABC, Hochstadt isn't concerned about inundating Jimmy Kimmel Live! viewers with too many commercial messages. "Every late-night show and every television show is a work in progress all the time," Hochstadt says. "So, if it is overkill, we'll stop."

Offering the perspective of an advertiser, Garmin's Lovell says that he still views the traditional 30-second spot as "the crux of any campaign."

"But will we continue to do more live commercials? I hope so," Lovell adds. "Will we do them on every network? I don't know. But we will continue to look for ways to push the envelope."