Okay, I will admit that I did not see this particular stunt in advertising first hand, (read about it on TV Squad's blog) but I am offended none the less. We have all gotten used to the stupid promos that invade our favorite television shows, taking up more and more of the screen over the years, sometimes not allowing us to view crucial information or subtitles... I chalk it up to being the down side of living in our DVR/ DVD box set age.
It's all simple math, really... Advertisers want your money. To get that money, they need to get you their message. To get you that message, the networks need you to watch their other shows. They need to make sure that you know about said other shows to convince the advertisers that you will, in fact watch them.
TBS however, has crossed a very real line.
In the following clip, Bill Engvall steps onto the screen and pauses the show to deliver his pitch about his show.
Sure, it's only 2 seconds before commercial, but that really isn't the point. If this campaign is at all successful, what's to stop them from "pausing" your favorite show during the really intense, dramatic parts to pitch you something that will make your shirts whiter than white?
You know, it's totally unnecessary, too... I still watch commercials, even when I'm fast forwarding... if I see one that catches my eye, (a product I want, or something that looked clever in FF mode) I will invariably stop and watch it anyway. I suspect I am not alone in this.
Anyway, I think that if they continue to do this, or do it during something like pro wrestling, they will experience a backlash that will not only effect them, but the whole medium. We have other choices now, after all. Internet TV has less commercials and convenience going for it... plus, I have many friends that just wait for the whole season of their favorite show to come out on DVD, without ever watching it in "real time".
Bastards. When will they realize that I don't give a rat's bottom about "natural male enhancement", the latest A.P.R. on the new Prius, or some yuppies scarfing down sonic cheesburgers in a mini-van? If I want to shop, I can log onto ebay. Just get to entertaining me, damn you.
Okay, end of rant... but I would love to know what some of my readers think about this development.
1 comment:
I am 100% with you on this one. The concept of the "Lower 3rd Bar" has been slowly becoming the "Half-Your-Screen-Bar"! The good news, and I think you will agree with me on this one Rob, this will only continue to happen on channels like TBS or TNT that broadcast "syndicated programming" like "Everybody Loves Raymond" or "Family Guy". You will never see a show paused on any major network during Primetime b/c those shows are produced by individual companies that will not put up with that.
Frankly, I am getting very sick and tired of "Bill Engvall...hey Bill, here's your sign...get off my FU#$%ng TV!
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