Cheerios Commercial In The Middle Of a Soap Opera

I don't like marketing. Mind you, I have a degree in it, so I understand the beast. But I still don't like it. Advertising techniques are either deceptive cons or ridiculous mini-movies that have little to do with the product being sold.

That's why this makes me mad. Commercial breaks are fine. Networks need to make money. I get that. But this is an actual advertisement for Cheerios cereal built into the script of a soap opera. No, it's not a spoof.

Watching that clip actually made me violent. Next time I see a box of Cheerios I may thrash it. Listen, I know that soap operas are lame and horrible, I don't even watch them. But, they are an art form - kind of.

Some creative person toiled over a script, trying his best to make you love these characters and relate to the drama, then some network suit walks in to the writer's room - fresh off a yacht ride - and says, "I got a very cost effective idea, let's sell out and put commercials in the actual dialogue."

I'm sorry, it's sickening. It reduces television programs - again, someone's art - to a mindless formula for good advertising. It's soulless.

At least when Wayne's World did it, it was funny. And actually poked fun at how ridiculous product-placement can be.

Now, I'm smart enough to know why networks are doing this. With DVR systems you can zip past a commercial, making advertisers less willing to dish out big bucks for ad time, but still, it sets a dangerous precedence.

What's next? You'll be watching the latest John Tavolta movie, when he suddenly turns to the camera and tells you how great Acme Toupees are? "Acme Toupees, four out of five Thetan level eights recommend it."

Image credit: DaysOfOurCheerios

Big Business Weird advertising cereal 12 Comments jriley on 20 Nov 2010

but arent they called soap operas cause they used to advertise soap... ? art has always had patrons. whoa, did i just use art and soap opera in the same paragraph?

now if this was the news or Lie to Me, then id be upset!

Reply heidimont2 on 20 Nov 2010

u are right

Reply Duane on 20 Nov 2010

Wow. Just wow. So blatant. Who talks like that? That's definitely gonna take you out of the scene, so much for suspension of disbelief.

I hate having marketing in my face constantly. It encompasses everything. Not to mention those rotten telemarketing phone calls. Grrr....

Reply Lana on 20 Nov 2010

That's really annoying. That would make me use me DVR to fast forward through that stupid dialogue.
On another note, Duane, I sometimes talk like that about food. Usually it will be because I just discovered some new healthy food that I must tell people about. I will come home from the grocery store and say to my boyfriend "OMG I found these baked whole wheat high fiber tortilla chips! Only ____cals and look how much fiber!" lol So some people do actually talk like that.

Reply Gina on 20 Nov 2010

I don't mind a little product placement but a full commercial is too much.

Reply Mike Howard on 20 Nov 2010

It's ridiculous - I've seen it become more and more prominent in movies over the years (I get it, movie characters only use mac laptops).

I'm a James Bond film fan but it's just gotten absurd "Hold on a second, M - I must check my O-mega timepiece to verify". And sorry ad placement people - I don't believe for a second that bond would go from an Astin Martin to a ford.

I love the Waynes' world spot - brought back a lot of memories.

Reply ps on 20 Nov 2010

That really is over the top. I have a solution.. change the channel! The Wayne's world one is a rip though....

Reply Spectra on 20 Nov 2010

It really is getting pretty bad. We watch "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and the Coors product placement is pretty blatant throughout the show. But product placement has been around for decades--remember how big Reeses' Pieces got after they were featured in "E.T."? But I will agree--the Cheerios spot in the soap opera IS a bit over the top.

Reply Mike Howard on 20 Nov 2010

Yes the ET reeses pieces was pretty bold for its time. Funny story is it was supposed to be M&M's and the mars brothers said "no way" (they are notorious for being "jerks"). The rest as they say is history.

I remember the first terminator had a very prominent "nike" placement too. Back to the future as well (Pepsi - likely the influence of Michael J. Fox).

Useless trivia is my forte : )

Reply Berzerker on 20 Nov 2010

I could only stomach 1:34 of that, and that was because I was hoping to watch the semi-hot guy take off his shirt. I've never considered television art, and I always thought television's main agenda was to sell products, but that soap opera clip was the most shameless product endorsement I've ever seen. Does this mean I need to stick to only books and foreign films for ad-free "wholesome" entertainment? Hehe, "wholesome"...cheerios.

Reply waynenew89 on 21 Nov 2010

you are probably right

Reply Melanie Thomassian R.D. on 23 Nov 2010

That made me cringe! I'm with ps above, change the channel, or better still chuck the TV altogether :)

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