Tag: commercials

  • Sell-out

    Sell-out

    How struggling actors cash in on beloved characters

  • Reality TV recaps

    Reality TV recaps

    Against all odds, I’ve fallen in love with a reality TV show. Despite its rapacious land ethic, Discovery’s Gold Rush keeps me coming back for its loveable, hapless stars. However, Gold Rush makes me worry about American attention spans. The show treats its audience like chronic amnesiacs. Before every commercial break, Gold Rush flashes a…

  • Retroactive ads.

    As commercial breaks become less and less effective (thanks to TiVo), embedded advertising will take over. Films and television are overrun by this covert advertising. In fact, almost any logo or brand mention on modern shows has almost certainly been purchased by a multinational conglomerate and placed according to a strict marketing contract. What’s the…