NO - Andy Wasef, Emerging platforms director, Mediaedge:cia
If we were just talking about HDTV then I'd probably say "yes" and I don't disagree that 3DTV advertising will happen. What I question is the "mainstream" part.
My gut feeling is that, before 3DTV advertising ever becomes a mainstream ad format, something else will have usurped it as the next big thing in TV and everyone's focus and attention will be on whatever that "thing" is. TV sets that deliver 3D through depth rather than requiring glasses will help and a lot depends on film and television-makers and, especially, the TV manufacturers.
However, the relatively slow churn in TV hardware purchases, combined with the relentless speed of technological innovation, makes it hard for anything to get established before we're off to the next thing, and I sense that might be the case here.
YES - Andrew Spray, Broadcast director, PHD
HD is already well on its way to becoming the norm. There is an abundance of HD-ready TV sets and boxes in the market and, once Freeview starts to push HD, its penetration will speed up considerably.
The catalyst for advertisers will, as ever, be content. At the moment this is fairly limited, but as it grows there will be greater creative motivation to make ads in HD.
Sky 3D will require 3D-enabled TV sets and these are only just coming on to the market. Although the lack of a standard format may result in a format war, the success of 3D in the cinema shows there is an appetite for it from the consumer.
Some advertisers will take advantage of this format to showcase great creative as the amount of quality content and its accessibility increases, but this is unlikely to be a mainstream format for quite a few years.
NO - Glyn Britton, Strategic director, Albion
3D is undoubtedly cool and there's a lot happening right now. The technology barriers are well discussed - having to wear glasses, buying a new TV. But the real barriers are cultural and commercial ones.
Culturally, what can 3D add to our lives beyond novelty? The trend is away from immersive experiences to shared, social experiences.Commercially, is there a business model to justify investment in big content in 3D - football and The X-Factor?
I'm sceptical that increased fidelity alone will make advertising sell any more, so where's the incentive for advertisers to invest?
If content producers can work out how to use 3D to make media a more useful, more social experience, then great. Rather than 3D-ing existing content, let's think about how to use 3D to create new kinds of content that wouldn't be possible any other way. But that's unlikely to happen out of Hollywood or Soho.
YES - Anthony Edwards, Communications planning director, Euro RSCG
As a player with a seemingly ever- growing share of the TV market, Sky is well placed to drive the market for new advertising technologies.
In fact, the shift to HD advertising is inexorable: more and more homes have HDTVs as it moves from a premium sell. A high percentage of Europe's TV advertising output is already finished in HD.
Obviously, the premium Sky ad charge will be a factor, but which client would not want the best possible quality broadcast of their advertising?
The future for 3D is more open to debate. Adoption is predicated on having an idea that makes the most of the technology: just because you can have a robot in 3D, it doesn't mean you should or that the communication will be more effective.