So why does this in-program ad deserve discussion in today's Wall Street Journal? It certainly isn't a first. Have the writer or editors not watched American Idol - Ford and Coke ads inside each show. It is not a new phenomenon. I am a Letterman fan and frankly there are some comic bits that could be mistaken for in placement ads. And yes, this practice of a live commercial has been a part of TV before, albeit it has not been recent since American Idol. Shows like Milton Berle and his Texaco Theatre, Jack Benny and Jello and Lucky Strikes, and many more examples integrated these sponsors and wrote fun scripts to push the product. So don't mistake this for TV 2.0 or interactive advertising, this is plain old in-program ad placement.
It is not new, but it will help folks that DVR or TIVO to not fast forward and stay tuned for the entertainment value of these sponsored spots. And that is the key phrase, because if they stop being entertaining, viewers will stop paying attention.
Just watched this, and I have to say, I'm disappointed that the show/ network has to turn to this. It was awkward, and the crowd didn't know how to react. Wasn't really sure if it was supposed to be funny or serious. A little like the Conan in San Fransisco ads for Intel and that Chinese place.
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