Wal-Mart commercials on Countdown

[EstimatedProphet]

The Wal-Mart commercial they run on Countdown now really sucks. Also, no great surprise - it's full of lies. That line about how Wal-Mart coming to a community is the same thing as a pay raise is a real knee-slapper.

I worry about the intent of that commercial a little. One of the little tricks the Corprofascists like to do is provide ad revenue to a show they don't like, then threaten to pull it after the show's producers rely on the funding, in order to control the content. I wouldn't put such a thing past Wal-Mart, although Archer Daniels Midland occasionally runs ads on Countdown and hasn't tried any manipulation yet. Fortunately Keith has a long contract now.

[NYCGirl]

1. I've never seen those — could they be local ads? Fortunately, there are no

Wal-Marts in NYC.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

6. No WalMarts in NYC?

Really? How did they pull that off?

[NYCGirl]

7. Nope. And every time they try, the neighborhood people protest:

http://www.walmartfreenyc.com/

http://kipesquire.powerblogs.com/posts/1129145745.shtml

http://reclaimdemocracy.org/walmart/bails_newyorkcity.php

http://money.cnn.com/2005/02/24/news/fortune500/walmart_nyc/

[EstimatedProphet]

9. They're not local - we have Dish

[GainesT1958]

2. I've seen those...

And got a back-handed kick out of them. The only way Mal-Wart coming to a community would be a "pay-raise" is if the prevailing wages in the area were sub-minimum!

B-)

[Horse with no Name]

3. Isn't it ironic?

Walmart is helping to pay for Keith's new big raise.:bounce:

[Greybnk48]

4. I don't recall any Wal-Mart ads during Countdown either

They must be running them in selected areas.

[Norquist Nemesis]

5. Ad placements don't work like that

There's no conspirarcy by Wal-Mart take down Countdown through their ads in the manner you suggest. :eyes:

They're trying to change their image through a PR campaign. It's been going on for quite some time. Remember the ads with the VP of Greeting Cards? Woman, worked her way up from her start as an associate in the card department. It started running when attention was highlighted about their discriminatory hiring practices with a handful of women in top positions. Same thing with the healthcare provided by Wal-Mart. They ran ads with a man whose son had to have some life saving surgery...'because of Wal-Mart my son is alive and living like a normal, health child'.

The dollars they're sinking into ads like this are for exposure. If they're on Countdown it's not because they're trying to take him down or change the show. It's his ratings gets them a better bang for their ad buck.

[EstimatedProphet]

10. It isn't a conspiracy, it's a technique

And of course corporations buy ad time to have a say over content. That's hardly anything new.

I'm sure Wal-Mart is trying to change their media image, because it's deservedly horrible. But buying ads gives them leverage, they know that and a company like Wal-Mart that has no ethics whatsoever will use their leverage if they think it will benefit them in the long run. There's no conspiacy there. that's just business.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

8. I'm not a broadcast media buyer, but

I've seen a number of media plans. Cable TV commercial time, which is cheaper than network time, is usually purchased in blocs called dayparts designed to reach desired demographic groups who are likely to be watching at that time. For example Kraft may buy X number of weekday evening slots on Food TV regardless of the content of the programming. That's why sometimes you see the same spot twice during a break - they just slot it in and sometimes they're sloppy about it.

So I don't know if advertisers can exert the same kind of control over an established cable show as they can over a fledgling network show like Book of Daniel, or a one-time network event that is threatened by a boycott. I do know that advertisers would buy spots on the "Satan Buggers Babies Show" if the ratings promised that enough eyes would see their ads.

[shield20]

11. Is Hillary involved?

I wonder if this has anything to do with Hillary. Obvious they are trying to change how they are viewed, since the company has become such a target for (Democratic) activists. She has largely steered clear of any mention of Wal-Mart, and her campaign returned a $5,000 contribution from Wal-Mart, citing "differences with current company practices."

She may be asking them to do more to look cleaner, since she served on the Wal-Mart's board of directors for six years, and it makes her look bad/might hurt in her election bid???

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

12. Uh,

what?