I agree entirely that they are for a market that is not
us (readers), and that when they are done badly, or on a budget, that they will end up being more damaging than promotional. The majority of them are so awful they'd actually turn me away from reading the book so yeah, I avoid them as well (oh gods...the ones you've posted Sionainn...the lens flares :| ...[act]closes tab[/act] can't finish them).
I think the problem is not only production value, but purpose. The majority of book trailers happen because they're
wanted by someone, not because they have a strategy in mind for it, so if you do end up watching it you're there at the end going '...so?'.
The entire purpose of a book trailer should be exactly the same as a movie trailer - leave you wanting more. Don't resolve it, ask questions, be exciting, etc.
And yeah, they need to have a
much higher production quality than the majority out there. Unfortunately this means money, and most publishing houses would be hesitant to hand out much of a budget for a decent book trailer.
I've always heard good things about Scott Westerfeld's book trailers, but his are the only ones I can think of that pass the grade...
Eg, Leviathan:
~Link~ - something about THAT makes me excited about the book. It's interesting, clever, artistically pleasing. It sets the tone, and it leaves the reader wanting to know more.
So, I guess I'd be
for book trailers, because good ones are exciting and encourage readers, but
only if they were done properly :P