Tag: Commercials (11-20 of 22)

Dec 10 2012 04:53 PM ET

Beyonce makes $50 million deal with Pepsi, says it's more than an endorsement

by
Tags: , , , , , Music
BEYONCE-PEPSI

Image Credit: Pepsi

When you think “artist,” what immediately comes to mind? Georges Seurat, meticulously dabbing paint onto a canvas for two solid years to create A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte?

Or maybe Pepsi?

The New York Times writes that the soft drink giant has signed a massive, $50 million deal with Beyoncé, a “hybrid project” that will go beyond advertising. Specifically: The campaign includes “a multimillion-dollar fund to support the singer’s chosen creative projects.” So… more documentaries about Beyoncé? Well, maybe — according to the Times, these collaborations could include “live events, videos, ‘a cool photo shoot’ or almost anything else.”

READ FULL STORY »

Dec 5 2012 02:56 PM ET

Dick's Sporting Goods' Christmas grand slam -- VIDEO

by
Tags: , , , , TV

It doesn’t make you a Grinch to hate Christmas commercials — those annual 30-second guilt-trips that prey on our insecure sense of obligation and expectation. But your heart has to be two sizes too small if this Dick’s Sporting Goods commercial doesn’t make you want to rescue that sleigh full of floofloovers, trumtookas, and — yes –  baseball gloves before dumping it off the peak of Mount Crimpet.

Watch it below, before I say too much. READ FULL STORY »

Oct 29 2012 02:10 PM ET

Chord Overstreet hops onto Brad Pitt parody bandwagon, spoofs Chanel commercial -- VIDEO

by
Tags: , , , , , , , , TV

Again with the famous people dressing as other famous people for Halloween! Avril Lavigne’s ex did it; Emma Roberts did it; and now we’ve learned that Chord Overstreet, a.k.a. Glee‘s Sam “Trouty Mouth” Evans, did it too. He hit a Halloween party this weekend dressed as Brad Pitt in those unintentionally hilarious Chanel No. 5 ads — and even made a video parody of the commercials for good measure.

Worth noting: Roberts and Overstreet used to date. Pitt and Aunt Julia also starred together in 2001′s The Mexican. We’re not sure how Avril Lavigne and Chad Kroeger fit in, but this must have something to do with the full moon.

Check out a full color photo of Overstreet’s over-the-top Brad getup at People, and watch a teaser for his black-and-white Pitt parody below. No wonder his Glee character prides himself on his impressions; he’s pretty good at imitating Pitt’s drawl.

READ FULL STORY »

Oct 24 2012 04:13 PM ET

Clint Eastwood stars in campaign ad for Mitt Romney -- VIDEO

by
Tags: , , , , , , , TV

The American Crossroads super PAC released a new anti-Obama campaign ad today starring Clint Eastwood. With no empty chair to support his argument, the actor abandons improvisation for a more conventional attack approach.

Eastwood narrates over shots of factories and Americans standing in unemployment lines, saying “23 million can’t find full-time work and we borrow $4 billion every single day.” He argues that President Barack Obama should be held “accountable” for not getting the job done and Mitt Romney should be elected in his place to “turn [the country] around fast.”

According to the Los Angeles Times, the commercial is part of a $12.6 million ad campaign backed by Karl Rove’s political action committee that will run in the swing states of Ohio, Iowa, Colorado, Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada, and Virginia.

Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby costar Morgan Freeman recently narrated a campaign commercial with the opposite sentiment on behalf of Obama. Forget the presidential contenders, it’s a battle of the two most recognizable voices in Hollywood.

Watch the video below: READ FULL STORY »

Oct 24 2012 01:34 PM ET

Brought to you by our sponsors: TV's most egregious product placements

by
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , TV
new-girl-ford.jpg

Image Credit: Greg Gayne/Fox

What do you know about the 2013 Ford Fusion? If you watched last night’s New Girl, the answer is “all too much” — thanks to a two-minute sequence in which clumsy Jess struggled to model at a car show. As she stumbled about in her giant heels, a brand ambassador droned on and on about the new model’s many features. If the physical comedy hadn’t been so labored, the bit might have worked. But it didn’t.

In an age of ad-skipping DVRs and pirated online streaming, viewers have learned to accept a certain degree of commercialization on their favorite shows — especially the ones that are ratings-challenged. At the end of the day, an episode of Fringe sprinkled with plugs for Sprint’s Google Wallet is better than no Fringe at all. And a few fourth wall-busting series have managed to win us over by turning product integration into a joke — think Arrested Development‘s “It’s a wonderful restaurant!” or 30 Rock‘s “Can we have our money now?”

But even if it did make sense for Jess to step in for her sick model friend Cece at a car show, it didn’t make sense to insert her into a two-minute car commercial. Of course, New Girl‘s attempted Ford/comedy fusion isn’t the first egregious example of commercial-addled TV — remember these five product placement pioneers?

READ FULL STORY »

Sep 19 2012 01:59 PM ET

Joseph Gordon-Levitt pledges to cut himself in half in 'SNL' promos -- VIDEO

by
Tags: , , , , , , TV

The last time JGL hosted SNL, his monologue included two awesome back flips. How’s he going to top that this Saturday? According to the man himself: “I’m gonna cut myself in half! I’ll probably die!”

Thank heavens for the wisdom of Jason Sudeikis, who suggests an alternative in the promos below — “Why don’t you just break dance or something?”

As long as Gordon-Levitt takes Sudeikis’s advice, we should be in for a good show this weekend. The Looper star was a hit when he hosted in 2009, winning praise for his boundless energy and enthusiasm. (Even though Ken Tucker wasn’t a huge fan.) If the promos are any indication, we can expect a JGL who’s a little more subdued — but no less entertaining — come Saturday night. Also, did you know he’s a ninja? Watch and be amazed:

READ FULL STORY »

Sep 18 2012 02:29 PM ET

Jennifer Aniston pregnant with triplets (in new commercial) -- VIDEO

by
Tags: , , , ,

Every rumor ever whispered — or splattered on a tabloid cover — about Jennifer Aniston is true. Well, in her latest commercial for Glaceau Smartwater, that is.

The ad, produced by Aniston and introduced by Ryan Seacrest as a leaked home-security tape, consists of a string of jaw-dropping revelations about our favorite friend.

Here’s what you need to know about the Wanderlust actress: She’s pregnant with triplets and already mother to two (you’ll never guess who her oldest son is); she drives recklessly, exploits her help, wastes precious natural resources, and doesn’t actually possess the physical characteristic that made her Friends character Rachel so iconic.

The truth was indeed refreshing.

Here’s the video:

Read more:
Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux are engaged
50 Steamy Lingerie Scenes
Emmys all-time best and worst

Aug 28 2012 05:39 PM ET

Old Spice 'Muscle Music' ad puts The Man Your Man Could Smell Like to shame -- VIDEO

by
Tags: , , , , ,

Look at your screen, then down at your keyboard, then back at your screen. You’ve now seen everything you’ll need to enjoy Old Spice’s new “Muscle Man” ad, an interactive experience starring Newsroom bodyguard/NFL alum Terry Crews.

The ad takes the company’s gleefully absurd campaigns to a whole new level, allowing viewers to step into the Old Spice “Danger Zone” and compose their own percussive masterpiece — using only the power of Crews’ flexed muscles. Give it a shot, and don’t forget to experiment with both light taps and sustained key-holding:

READ FULL STORY »

Aug 17 2012 12:33 PM ET

Schmidt from 'New Girl' launches web series for Axe -- VIDEO

by
Tags: , , , , , , , TV

You love Max Greenfield, the bro-tastic dandy behind New Girl‘s Schmidt, but you hate those icky TV spots for Axe products. How, then, can you enjoy Greenfield’s new web series, a Forgetting Sarah Marshall riff that doubles as part of Axe’s new “Susan Glenn” campaign? (Another wrinkle: According to EW NewGirlologist Lanford Beard, “Schmidt is far too discerning for Axe! He uses body gelato.”)

Despite all that, the videos might win you over. For starters, they’re surprisingly sweet — much like Axe’s classy “Susan Glenn” commercial starring Kiefer Sutherland. Since Greenfield writes, directs, and stars in each clip, they’re also peppered with his signature sense of humor: see episode 2′s analogy-off for proof. Here’s episode 1, which could be titled “Idiot Boy with a Broken Cellular Telephone”:

READ FULL STORY »

Aug 14 2012 11:00 AM ET

What's your damage, Olympics commercials?

by
Tags: , , , , , , , , , TV

Welcome to ‘What Is Your Damage,’ Annie Barrett’s summer shop of all the melodrama and self-absorption she misses from springtime reality TV. Every Tuesday and Friday, she’ll rant about a current offense to her humanity, then assess readers’ damages via video replies. Don’t be shy about admitting what annoys or intrigues you. We’re all in this pop cult together!

What’s your damage, Olympics commercials? Way to fuel my post-London depression. The Games are over but you’re still around, bringing back misty water-colored memories of the 17 days I spent cryling (crying/smiling) and LOVING IT on my couch. It’s time to go! You’ll fade out anyway, and it’s best we make a clean break so I can muster up the courage to go outside again. You know I love you, but you’re ultimately a fleeting tease, like Costas’ one-night-only hipster glasses. “What’s Your Damage, London?” volumes 1, 2, 3, and 4 were fun, but I can’t keep writing about the Olympics forever. Just once more. Allow me to assess your damage.

READ FULL STORY »

Advertisement

TV Recaps

Powered by WordPress.com VIP
'Star Trek': I'd rather be...