McTV
Music Television turns away ‘Super Size Me’ movie ads in favor of McProfits
I figure MTV jumped the shark long ago (when was the last time they actually played a music video?) but it’s amazing to me that they choose not to advertise this award-winning film because it’s “disparaging to fast-food restaurants” — WTF??
MTV will run an hour’s worth of anti-smoking ads, but decide not to run spots for a movie about a guy who ate fast food for a month — and the life-threatening health repercussions he suffered — especially when obesity is surpassing smoking as the top avoidable cause of death?
Unbelievable.
Or maybe not-so much.
Tobacco companies aren’t allowed to advertise on tv, so MTV won’t be losing any ad-dollars by cigarette makers threatening to pull their advertising — but fast food joints don’t have that problem. Especially when a recent marketing campaign involves the enlistment of the self-same performers who appear on TRL and other MTV programming in order to appeal to the people too young and stupid to be concerned about their health at this point in their lives.
Do you think it’s a coincidence that the burger giant discontinued its Super Size program mere months before the release of this movie? What about the new ad campaign featuring the adult-type happy meal that consists of a salad, bottled water, and a pedometer? Perhaps I’m disparaging the fast food clowns, but I’m dizzy from all the spin-control in effect at the moment.
My guess is the McMoguls saw the Super Size Me film (even though they say they haven’t) and weren’t “Lovin’ It.”