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Posts tagged: colbert

Stephen Colbert is Amp’d in Iraq

Stephen Colbert as the fictional Stephen Colbert.
Image via Wikipedia

The Colbert Report is broadcasting all week from Camp Victory in Baghdad, Iraq.  In fact, the temporary stage is inside one of Sadam Hussein’s old palaces.

So far, Stephen has been pretty funny and even allowed his head to be shaved – a big thing for a guy who is identified in no small part by his perfect “anchorman” hair.

Last night, Stephen also introduced his latest sponsor, Amp’d, an “energy” drink that one can only assume tastes like ass, since he didn’t even deign to take a sip during the two prominent in-show plugs for the canned beveraged.  Remember, he did in fact eat a few Doritos.

Now, I have nothing against this sort of product placement.  Someone has to pay the bills and clearly viewers don’t want to pay-per-view, nor do they seem all that interested in sitting through commercials, so this sort of advertising is going to only increase.

As with the much discussed post on the Starbucks sponsorship of Morning Joe, it seems that the current approach is to be as obvious as possible about the paid promotion.  This is at least less offensive than trying to trick people into believing some faux-organic integration.  Plus, everyone knows the score.

The question that seems to interest folks is whether or not it is different for Amp’d to pay a satirical news program for on-air plugs than it is for Starbucks to pay the gang at Morning Joe to sip their brew while they coo with pleasure.

You are naive if you think corporate interests aren’t being served on every news program save, perhaps, public broadcasts like NPR (haters please comment below), so, I say, at least when it is all in your face you can decide for yourself what might be tainted.

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categories Uncategorized | admin | datetime June 10, 2009 6:07 pm | comments Comments (0)

Toyota Gets a Little Assy (McGee)

Following up on what I’ve got to assume was a fruitful partnership for the Scion with Adult Swim’s Frisky Dingo, the carmaker has signed on to another in-show sponsorship.

This time the Scion brand will be worked into Assy McGee, an animated series featuring a gun-toting ass with legs (see pic above).

According to TVWeek:

“During each “Assy” episode this season, which kicks off April 6, a mock commercial for Scion will appear. The 35-second commercial is a takeoff on those local auto dealer spots with the loud-mouthed pitchman. Only in this spot, the loudmouth is Assy, who makes a gassy pitch, complete with graphics that promise Scion car shoppers, “No Haggle,” “No Hassle,” “No Bullshit.” It ends with the tag “Don’t make me run your ass over.”

You can watch it for yourself here.

I remember seeing the Scion sponsorship in Frisky Dingo and thought it was actually pretty funny and well-don.  The key seems to be transparancy.  We’re all in on the joke and at the same time the brand message is being transmitted.  This is a lot like the Doritos/Colbert Report union.

Whether or not Scion appearing in a show about an animated ass will drive up sales among young drivers remains to be seen.

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categories Uncategorized | admin | datetime April 4, 2008 8:34 pm | comments Comments (0)

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