I understand that television shows need sponsors to stay on the air. I don't have a problem with that. After all, I can mute the loud, stupid, and obnoxious commercials, which means pretty much all of them. Or I can record a show and fast forward through the commercials. I know both of these methods must cause all the "Mad Men" out there a lot of "creative" head scratching. They need to find a way to present their precious product to me, the cranky viewer, in such a way that I can't possible avoid the "important message."
In case you're not paying attention to the shows you love, it's called product placement. Mostly it's not too insidious, and I can live with it. If the main character takes a swig from a Coke can, and then carefully places it in full view of the camera so I can't avoid reading the label -- that's okay. It can even make the show more believable. After all, I drink Coke, too. However, one show has obviously offered their sponsor free reign in the context of their program, and that show is "Blackish," and that sponsor is "Buick." The fine folks down at your friendly Buick dealer walk all over Blackish with product placement like a kid with muddy boots walking over a freshly mopped kitchen floor.
Now, I like "Blackish." It's a light comedy that is fun to watch, but I recoil each time they shove the "new" Buick in the foreground. It starts with scenes that open in the phony little ad agency where the main character "works." Mostly he doesn't do any actual "work" other than discussing his home life with his coworkers. Before that scene develops, however, they pretend they have just come up with the best slogan for their client, "Buick." The new Buick. The one that looks nothing like all other Buicks that have ever come before. The Buick that even old ladies (Buick's former buyer demographic) can't recognize. "You're picking me up in a Buick?" they say all confused. "I don't see a Buick." Look carefully, grandma, the entire street is populated with Buicks and nothing but Buicks. Why? Because Buick is the new "cool" car not the sloppy, overly-chromed monstrosity that used to be expelled from the Detroit factory and could be seen weaving and lurching uncertainly down the street taking up most of two lanes. Not that Buick. That's old news, grandma, just like you are. No, don't cry, grandma. You can still be cool. In a Buick.
So in the first bit of PP (Product Placement) the camera pans slowly down from the whiteboard with the new Buick slogan to pick up the characters and their conversation, which is not about Buicks. Although, the Buick logo and slogan are still displayed in the background.
This whole scene really bugs me because how could a little cheese ball ad agency like the one in this show ever get a major car manufacturer like Buick? Well, they couldn't. So it's all fantasy BS that goes so far beyond the context of the show that I miss the following scene thinking about how stupid it is.
We're not done with PP on Blackish. No. Every time one of the characters has to take a drive somewhere, they clearly mention (while looking straight at the camera) that they will be taking the "Buick" with dialog like, "Get in the Buick, grandma," or "Meet me by the Buick." And of course every car on the street is a Buick because "Buick is the new, hip choice in cars," or something.
So, my point is, you fine, well-meaning folks down at Buick, we are much more likely to purchase a garage full of Buick's if you leave out the obvious PP. No, that's not accurate. I should be completely honest here, I'm not buying a damn Buick no matter what you do. There. I said it.
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