• Los Angeles Times, Monday, February 16, 2009 12:45 PM

As the recession takes its toll on firms that rely on advertising, TV stations are running ads they once considered inappropriate. For instance, the Absolut Vodka commercials during the Grammy Awards marked the first time in years that liquor ads ran in prime time on network-owned stations. Also crowding the airwaves during heavy viewing hours are infomercials once reserved for the middle of the night and ads touting extramarital affairs and the intimate uses of K-Y Jelly.

Marketing experts say the trend toward adult advertisers has accelerated since the financial crisis began. "When you have the evaporation of advertising revenue, you have to look for new and creative ways of getting sellers in the door," says Tim Winter, president of the Parents Television Council. "It's coming in the way of adult-themed products and content."

A year ago, no broadcast TV group would have agreed to run distilled-spirit ads, says Kathy Doyle, senior vice president at Universal McCann. In the last few months, nearly every one has considered it. "The bottom's dropped out in the market, and they're looking for new sources of revenue," she says.

Read the whole story at Los Angeles Times »