The new advert was trailed by a mash-up with the old Freeview cat and budgie advert a few days ago:
YouTube link here. The main advert can be seen
here, though this link is just from a bloke who recorded it with his phone. The animation must have been expensive and features hordes of sinister pay TV robots, with a single non-conformist robot as the hero. The message seems to be not to subscribe to pay TV services but use Freeview play instead. The slogan (of the bad robots) is 'you must subscribe, you must upgrade, you must conform'. This is from the Freeview Play website:
http://www.freeview.co.uk/freeview-play said:
Freeview Play is not built into existing TV or recorders. Freeview Play uses a new standard which requires different hardware. However, you can add Freeview Play to your current TV by connecting it to a Freeview Play recorder.
I get the not subscribing to pay TV message, but how do you get Freeview Play without buying new hardware? Simple answer, you can't. This doesn't square with the part of the message that implies you shouldn't have to upgrade. I wonder if some people will assume that they will be able to get the new Freeview Play features without buying new kit?
EDIT. OK, some Panasonic TVs are getting Freeview Play updates, but these are specific models that were designed for this purpose. The vast majority of people who have bought 2015 TVs and PVRs won't get Freeview Play without buying new hardware.