Pick Up Line Gets Stick Stuck

Another in a long line of commercials making men look stupid. This time it's a guy leaning over a hot girl at a pool table offering her tips on how to hold the stick when all he really wants is for the babe to hold his stick. Well, there's the holding of stick alright, but it's not his stick and it's not where he wants the stick stuck either. Enough on sticks? Good. Go watch the spot. And others from Ad Age's TV Spots of the Week.
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Advertisers Are Turning Up Their Noses at Reality Programming

"Anything that ends up in a hot tub, you don't want to be around," said Tom DeCabia, executive vice president of PHD USA, a major ad-buying firm. "Reality is not something that a lot of advertisers are beating down the door to get into."

That seems to be the prevailing opinion as buyers head towards this year's upfront. Trouble is, the networks are still cranking out the junk. And on top of that, when buyers and viewers finally give up on trash TV, there isn't really anything good in the pipeline as a replacement.

What's a media buyer to do?
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New Diet Coke Campaign Launches

Diet Coke advertising campaigns have come and gome lately leaving consumers with a confusing brand image. Coke hopes to change that with the launch of a new FCB-created ad campaign that brings back Humphrey Bogart last seen in 1991.
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First Quarter Ad Recall Ratings Released

Ad Age and IAG have released their Q1 Top Spots study. The study measures recall levels such as brand recall and likeability. The top spots for the quarter where dominated by superbowl spots including Budweiser's "Zebra Referee", FedEx's "Castaway", and Burger King's "Steve Harvey Live". Read the summary article here and download the full study here.
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NBC and Fox Fight Each Other For Ratings

It's been neck and neck in many areas for these two networks with the 18-49 demo. NBC still holds a slim lead but Fox's reality programming has made the network a major contender this year. Even with the successes these two networks have seen, media buyers are questioning whether it can continue.
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During War, Consumers Expect Advertising to Go On

A study just completed by Frank N. Magid Associates surveyed 413 people and found 79% do not have a problem with ads run during war coverage and would not think negatively about a company that does. Seventy percent acknowledge ads are a normal part of television and expect companies to continue during war time. [via MediaPost]
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