
Commercials. They're the necessary evil most of us have to endure at least part of the time when we watch TV or just move around our every-day lives. Tivo and DVRs have made them a heck of a lot less annoying on our TVs, but they're still all around us - print ads, sides of buses, magnetic signs on the sides of cars, websites - they're everywhere. Heck, you can't hardly go to the movies without having to sit through an ad or two now for a TV show or Coke or some other product - which is completely annoying because I much prefer to watch movie previews than an advertising for Mentos.
Well for the most part concerts have been commercial free. Oh sure, there's a 1000 ways for you to part with your hard-earned cash while enjoying your favorite artist live, but those were generally left in the lobby areas where T-shirt vendors hawked their wares or the teens who ran around with glow-sticks and sodas tried to get you to spend a few dollars. Easily ignored if you chose to do so. Alright, there was the name of whoever was sponsoring the tour usually plastered all over, but those, too, were pretty much easily ignored. But now comes word of a far less easily ignored phenomenon - commercials in the middle of concerts - like actual commercials like you'd see on TV.
Annoying!
My friend Vicky has written an interesting article about product placement and country stars and how far is too far.
It all started with a discussion with a music biz insider about the unprecedented product placement and sponsorship by JCPenney of the current Rascal Flatts CD and tour. I know that sponsorships are a part of the music business, "Brought to you by . . . " doesn't bother me. We all know that George Strait wears Wrangler jeans and Kenny Chesney drinks Corona. Who cares?
But commercials during a live concert? A band putting a song praising a particular product line on their CD? Is that where we're going? Welcome to the 2009 American Living/Rascal Flatts tour.
So what are your thoughts? The more the merrier? Enough is enough? Could you care less? Somewhere in the middle? You can check out Vicky's whole blog post here and let her know what you think. It's definitely an interesting read and something to make you stop and say how much really is too much?
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