Maybe Serena (Blake Lively) is just upset about something, and Dan’s just gently reassuring her: "I know, I know, it sucks that the homeless man touched your arm in the process of ripping off your shirt on the street, but we can just go buy you a new one at my fave thrift store." To which she sobs even harder. The longer I gaze at the ad, the more likely this scenario becomes. Try it.
But seriously, is The CW’s latest crop of GG ads that bad, or should the Parents Television Council relax?
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It’s that bad. And frankly worse….
I’m not so much shocked by the ad campaign (racy images to sell a not-so-good show? Whoda thunk it?) as I am bothered this show gets to stay on basic cable while better shows like Friday Night Lights are relegated to some far off satellite station. That ain’t right.
The thing we have to remember is that it’s not only 16, 17, 18 year old kids who watch this, but 12, 13, 14 year old, very impressionable kids.
So in one sense, I’m glad the ads are so racy. Maybe the younger kids parent’s will think twice about letting them watch.
The thing we have to remember is that it’s not only 16, 17, 18 year old kids who watch this, but 12, 13, 14 year old, very impressionable kids.
So in one sense, I’m glad the ads are so racy. Maybe the younger kids parent’s will think twice about letting them watch.
The thing we have to remember is that it’s not only 16, 17, 18 year old kids who watch this, but 12, 13, 14 year old, very impressionable kids.
So in one sense, I’m glad the ads are so racy. Maybe the younger kids parent’s will think twice about letting them watch.
see i totally disagree. the new gossip girl ads are fantastic. the more you tell kids not to watch something, the more they’re going to want to watch it. when i was a kid, married with children was banned in my household. yet i would sneak it every chance i could. i didn’t even find it funny. i didn’t even find it interesting. i found it exciting because i was told i couldn’t watch it. so i applaud gossip girl for using that bad press into a positive thing. hopefully it’ll get them more viewership! i know i’ll be watching (but then again, i was watching anyway…)
That ad isn’t of Dan. It’s with the drug user that OD’ed.
It’s a pretty genius ad campaign if ya ask me and besides isn’t it up to a kid’s parents if they watch it or not.
yeah, it’s great marketing – no question there. that still doesn’t make me excited about upping the ante on prime-time soft-core for kids.
People need to stop wigging out. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it. If you don’t want your kids to watch it, ban it from the TV. Or, better yet, have a conversation with them about it and why it’s inappropriate. In the meantime, I’m pretty sure the first amendment will hold up.
That’s not nearly as bad as those OMFG ads. If I had kids, they’d hate me, because they would not be allowed to watch that show.
The PTC should just give up. We can’t stop it. All your sons are gay for pay. All your daughters are whores. Everyone under 11 is in kiddie porn. EVERYBODY does drugs and sells them. It’s over. That behind us? That’s the slippery slope. Anyway in about 2 years we’ll reach Peak Oil and slip back to the stone age anyway. Yes, they’re disgusting; but there is no good to be done, because good does not exist anymore.
I think using the PTC’s rants in their advertising campaign is sheer genius. (And anything that makes the sexually frustrated prudes of the PTC heads explode is a fine by me)
While I don’t support the PTC, at least they go after sex AND violence on TV with equal determination. That some watchdogs would rather see eviscerated corpses than a couple get it on always bugged me. As far as this campaign goes, I think it’s hilarious that they took negative reviews and turned it around. Very creative. I don’t have children myself, but I do have a 14-year-old cousin who watches the show. When I’ve chatted with her about it, she seems to find it fun but not that relevant to her own life. She doesn’t have designer clothing, she doesn’t take expensive vacations, and she and her friends don’t spend time plotting Cruel Intentions-like schemes. Please don’t underestimate the intelligence of all teenagers, a lot of them recognize this stuff as fantasy. However, for those who do take offense to these ads, you could use them as a springboard to discussions with your kids.
“However, for those who do take offense to these ads, you could use them as a springboard to discussions with your kids.” I’ve done this. I have a 13 and 15 year old, and just by asking what they like about shows or ads like this, I’ve gained a lot of insight into what they think about this stuff. Of course, they could be spoon feeding me what I want to hear *lol* but they’ve definitely kept out of trouble so far.
Amusing. And I agree, don’t underestimate the intelligence of teenagers. My 12 year old sister watches this show. I freaked out because I was afraid she’d go all like “Why isn’t my life like that? Must change…” as I did when I saw X-FIles when I was a kid (really, I’m sci-fi bred) but she realizes this is all fake and only watches this for the fun.
Buut… I have to scratch my head for using the PTC comments. Um… why? Also, why is this show still the most buzzed even though it had pitiful ratings and is nowhere near the caliber of other shows? At least they didn’t get any Emmy nods, otherwise i’d flip a lid.
I think it’s about time somebody said something this show is AWFUL. I cringe when I think that kids are actually watching this smut.
the main problem with GG (and i have only seen one episode, so perhaps i should do more empirical research) is that NONE OF THE ACTORS CAN U KNOW, ACT! they’re basically doing softcore porn. why can’t quality shows such as FNL, The Wire (when it was on), etc get this much shine. it’s always style over substance. a couple of racy ads are irrelevant. how about a quality show which doesn’t think shock value is the only important element of a show? i miss the other GG – Gilmore Girls.
I have the same problem with this show as I have with the books. Treating children, yes that’s what teens still are, as adults. Yes, teens are smart but it doesn’t mean trash like this should be promoted in any way, shape or form to them. I’m even more tired of the ‘control what your children are watching’ argument. It shouldn’t be out there in the first place, period. What children consume through the media affects their thinking and values in various ways and to deny that is stupid. Why do you think it’s being geared toward them in the first place? We should be promoting healthier values to our children thru the media not this crap. Yeah it’s fantasy but that doesn’t make it alright. Morals and character shouldn’t be seen as a lost cause and surely should be worth teaching our children in obvious and subtle ways through music, tv and movies. Anyone who says lighten up is the person I don’t want looking after my children.
Every time I see that ad, all I can think is exactly how un-sexy it is. It’s less ‘hot’ and more ‘virgin getting to second base for the first time.’ Seriously, Blake Lively, this does not work for you.
This makes me glad that I had My So-Called Life when I was growing up. Sex wasn’t shown on-screen, but it was still addressed as an issue that teens dealt with. And the lead character struggled with the idea and consequences of sex, it wasn’t swept under the rug. I wish more shows today took their cue from it.
Do you really think you can keep your 12, 13, & 14 year old kids from watching this show? They are going to watch it if they really want to.
Can this be filed under “things that make me die inside”? This show is terrible, yet getting soooo much attention because they’ve oversexed the kiddos. It’s not shocking – it’s actually quite predictable.
Morals and character aren’t a lost cause as long as parents teach it to their own children. Yes, it would be great if we could depend on media to help guide our kids in the right direction. But until advertisers care more about the danger of potentially warping kids’ minds than about emptying their wallets, it’s not going to happen.
PTC has nothing to worry about. They’re just trash, and most people recognize it as such.
I’m a 17 year old girl who watched this show last season. I personally thought it was mindless fun, but I have to admit that the ads are kind of turning me off.
I agree. I like this show but I hate these ads.
Hey Annie, out of curiosity, do you have other scenarios in mind for the other ads?
RedAngel Thu, Jul 24, 2008 at 02:49 PM EST
This makes me glad that I had My So-Called Life when I was growing up. Sex wasn’t shown on-screen, but it was still addressed as an issue that teens dealt with. And the lead character struggled with the idea and consequences of sex, it wasn’t swept under the rug. I wish more shows today took their cue from it.
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I totally agree. MSCL Fan Always.
Mostly, I think this ad is just sort of lame & desperate.