Post date: Jun 03, 2013 10:45:21 PM
A television station creates funny and fake reality television show advertisements to draw attention to its programming and urge New Yorkers to question their choice of reality TV viewing.
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JUNE 03, 2013) (REUTERS) - The state of television entertainment is being questioned with a new advertising campaign by New York Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) WNET channel Thirteen.
Five print ads are using humor to bring attention to their programming lineup and hopefully bring about donations to the publicly funded channel."We did the campaign because channel Thirteen, we wrote: 'We think is an island of tranquility in a sea of madness'. Which is one of those things that everyone nods off too, but you need to bring it to life in an entertaining way," said Victoria Daviesfrom CHI & Partners, the advertising team that helped created the campaign.
"For us the entertainment factor of this was so important. That we were giving back to the community like we always did. But made people think twice about this is why I should support quality programming, this is why I should support channel Thirteen. Because otherwise I'm going to be living in a sea of reality TV with no choice. So it's about choices. It's not 'it's reality TV is terrible.' It's about a choice and let's still have that," she added.
The promotion pokes fun at many aspects of reality television, from the fake swamp show, "Bayou Eskimos" to family drama "Married to a Mime".
"The two that have got the most amount of chat are 'Knitting Wars - It's Sew On' with the two ladies looking at each other really angrily. And 'The Dillionarie - Life's a Pickle.' And everyone is, firstly, the kind of arts and crafts community is desperate that we made 'Knitting Wars' so I wouldn't be surprised if a channel somewhere on a network somewhere makes it - and good luck to them," said Davies.
New Yorker Justin Crowder said he knew the ads were fake right away, however they did make him think twice: "I mean reality TV is getting a little crazy, so."
When asked if he thought the ads would spark better shows he responded with a question: "What is good TV now, you know? I don't really know what good TV is now."
New York actress Sevans Martinz is not a fan of reality television and though she finds the ads catchy, she says they're a bit over the top. "I think some of them are funny and some of them are just like, is this really a show?"
Realty fan Jamar Foster loves the genre and even hopes to become a part of the landscape.
"I always wanted to be on 'Real World' even when they had 'Road Rules' vs. 'Battle of the Sexes,' I still watch like now, and 'Bad Girls Club'. I've always wanted to be on TV. So, a little reality TV I was always interested in. So hopefully I'll have my big hit, you know, get into a little show."
The posters will be in New York subway stations throughout the month of June.