Advertising

Lie in a TV Ad, Voters Will Believe You

by John Stauber — May 12, 2004 - 10:00pm

Adam Clymer, formerly the New York Times Washington correspondent, is now the political director for the National Annenberg Election
Survey. He writes in an editorial column that "Americans like to say they are not influenced by campaign commercials, but then many people plainly
believe the attack ads that President Bush and John Kerry
are hurling at each other.

Main Source: 
New York Times, May 12, 2004

Madison Avenue Knows Best

by Diane Farsetta — May 1, 2004 - 10:00pm

"The spots may be optimally situated by the blunt standards of Madison Avenue, which puts a premium on placing commercials in programs where they will have the most emotional effects," writes Jim Rutenberg, in an article on presidential campaign advertising.

Main Source: 
The New York Times, May 2, 2004

The Selling of Everything

by Diane Farsetta — April 25, 2004 - 10:00pm

Citing a recent poll which found 65% of respondents feel "constantly bombarded with too much" advertising and 61% think marketing is "out of control," Commercial Alert's director writes: "The main reason, I suspect, is that the [marketing] industry abides no limits or boundaries...

Main Source: 
Advertising Age, April 26, 2004

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

by Diane Farsetta — April 11, 2004 - 10:00pm

The Bush-Cheney campaign's aptly named advertising team, Maverick Media, understands that this year's presidential election is much different than the previous one: "The environment in 2000 was peace and prosperity. Everything was going fine and the question was what to do next.

Main Source: 
Advertising Age, April 12, 2004

The Boob Tube

by Diane Farsetta — April 4, 2004 - 10:00pm

"If one needed proof that the Woodstock generation has thrown in the towel, grabbed the money and ran, it is this: Bob Dylan's new Victoria's Secret ad," writes Advertising Age.

Main Source: 
Advertising Age, April 5, 2004

Covert Recruiting

by Diane Farsetta — March 24, 2004 - 11:00pm

Army "situ-mercials" will air during the re-broadcast of a popular World War II HBO miniseries. "In one segment of the [Army] program, a modern soldier says, 'Once you put on this uniform, you feel like you are doing something that a lot of people can't do.' The program then shifts to a 'Band of Brothers' scene where one soldier asks another why he wanted to join the paratroopers.

Main Source: 
Wall Street Journal, March 25, 2004

It's Mourning in America

by Sheldon Rampton — March 4, 2004 - 11:00pm

Believe it or not, the Bush campaign's TV ads list "an economy in recession, a stock market in decline" among the reasons to vote for their candidate.

Main Source: 
Newsday, March 5, 2004

Ebony and Ivory

by Diane Farsetta — March 1, 2004 - 11:00pm

The Democratic presidential campaigns of John Edwards and John Kerry have one thing in common: the racial make-up of their TV ads depends on where you watch them. An Edwards ad about job losses "running in Ohio... would be identical to one it ran in South Carolina last month if not for one thing" -- in the Ohio ad, the factory worker is white, but in South Carolina, the worker was black.

Main Source: 
New York Times, March 2, 2004

That's Situ-Tainment!

by Diane Farsetta — March 1, 2004 - 11:00pm

Today's Wall Street Journal reports on a new advertising trend: "The most obvious alternative to TV clutter, placing products within shows, is generating some backlash among viewers. Marketers and media buyers see the 'situ-mercial' as a promising alternative." What is a situ-mercial? It's a commercial designed to look, sound and feel just like the show it's interrupting. For example, a car insurance commercial set in a jail cell is airing during court shows and dramas.

Main Source: 
The Wall Street Journal, March 2, 2004

Won't Someone Please Think About the Children?

by Diane Farsetta — February 23, 2004 - 11:00pm

In a refreshing display of common sense, the American Psychological Association condemned television advertising aimed at young children as "by its very nature exploitative." Since youngsters' critical thinking skills are not developed, the APA suggests tighter limits on advertising during children's shows, more clear distinctions between ads and programming, or even banning ads on shows for children 8 years old or younger.

Main Source: 
The Washington Post, February 24, 2004
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