The hardtracking staff has no problem with this new ad campaign for New York PBS station WNET. We just think it’s an interesting misdirection play.
From the New York Times:
An Ad Campaign at WNET Uses Reality TV as a Punchline
WNET, the PBS station in New York that broadcasts on Channel 13, is to begin an advertising campaign on Monday composed of posters in about 185 subway stations and Twitter feeds. The goal of the campaign, with a budget estimated at $45,000, is to encourage people to join WNET as it celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Rather than making a typical point — that WNET’s shows like “Live From Lincoln Center,” “Masterpiece” and “Sesame Street” are far superior to reality fare — the posters take a cheeky tack by promoting five reality series that do not exist: “Bad Bad Bagboys,” “Bayou Eskimos,” “The Dillionaire,” “Knitting Wars” and “Married to a Mime.”
There are also make-believe cable channels – Insight and Arts, The Know Channel and Wonder Network – along with make-believe Twitter feeds – @RonPickles from “The Dillionaire”; @KnitterDaisy from “Knitting Wars”; and @StanTheMime and @MimeWife of “Married to a Mime.”
It’s almost enough to make you believe Jurassic PBS might make itself relevant in a new-media world.
Almost.
John R. Carroll is media analyst for NPR's Here & Now and senior news analyst for WBUR in Boston. He also writes at Campaign Outsider and It's Good to Live in a Two-Daily Town.
John R. Carroll has 305 post(s) on Sneak Adtack