Paralyzed by choices

If you've been among the lucky few to preview Hulu, you've probably noticed a startling lack of 30-second spots.

Eschewing the :30 dinosaur from the days of broadcast television, Hulu sports a variety of ad formats meant to add advertiser value but also prevent the viewer from leaving.

Many of Hulu's programs are sponsored by one brand, with introductions that run prior to the feature, followed by a couple minutes of advertising within a show's half-hour run. Shorter clips, like those edited and saved by users, contain still shorter spots.

Overlay ads are also part of the mix, both on and off the site. Advertising will come with the video when it's embedded on a third-party website or blog, to give advertisers the same reach the programming is receiving.

The shortened ad times amount to roughly 25 percent of the running time of the programming it supports. Hulu CEO Jason Kilar says he thinks the quality of the experience will create a positive ancillary effect for advertisers.