Commentary

Reality TV Shows' Best Cocktail Of Ingredients: Sex And Advertising

Watching the Super Bowl has always been about getting interrupted by a football game. We're talking about the real content during the big NFL game -- the commercials.

 

Fascination with all things advertising has hit new heights. There's AMC's "Mad Men," of course. Other reality shows like "America's Next Top Model" and "The Apprentice" have given contestants specific "marketing" challenges for certain products and services.

Still others are looking to glom onto this trend. Earlier this year TNT tried "Trust Me," a drama with Eric McCormack and Tom Cavanagh about a couple of ad agency executives. That show failed.  Mark Burnett Production's "Jingles" never got off the ground. The aim was to come up with the best advertising jingle to win money and a job -- or perhaps a future role on some skanky-looking VH1 reality show.

advertisement

advertisement

TV producers are trying again -- this time at MTV (sister network of VH1). It's another win-and-take-all effort, according to reports. "Hired" will be an on-location, documentary-type reality series -where contestants vie for a top job at a cool, edgy advertising agency in Brooklyn, NY called Huge.

After "Hired," no doubt we'll be drilling down to other areas of reality TV not yet seen. Perhaps in future years, people will vie for those less-glam media planner or head receptionist spots at media or advertising agencies.

It's all about drama. TV producers are looking under rocks, in corners, behind doors for that kernel of on-air, real-life-looking interaction - especially the dramas about businesses that form key marketing messages targeting U.S. customers. Just the entertainment value of 30-second commercials apparently isn't enough any longer.

One recent reality show had people deciding who should be fired at specific jobs. At least now we are getting back to people being hired -- more positive and uplifting.

Making sure it covers all bases, MTV already has the controversial "Jersey Shore" in play, full of muscled guys and bikini-wearing girls.  Sex and advertising. Bada-Bing!

Next story loading loading..