TiVo, infamous (in some circles) for allowing viewers to skip over ads, is about to cut a deal with ad agencies (Interpublic, Omnicom, Publicis) and others (Comcast ad sales) to allow users to search for ads - via keywords (categories or brands) - for products they're interested in, reports CNNMoney.com, citing a Wall Street Journal article (via Rick Bruner). Relevant commercials would then be downloaded to TiVo recorders for viewing. TiVo and the agencies are considering having advertisers bid on keywords as they do when buying web search ads. The launch of the new offering is expected in the spring.

"We're flipping the dynamic," TiVo CEO and president Tom Rogers told the Journal. "If you are in the market for a product, and you have no idea when commercials related to that kind of product are going to appear, it (traditional ad placement) doesn't help you very much."

TiVo already allows viewers who watch ads to click and receive more detailed product pitches, such as a movie trailer or a short film about a car.