Why do Movie Stars need to do commercials?

[Swagger]

The long-standing arrangement between advertising and the stars they hire to endorse their products is relatively tame when you think about it. It's a subliminal marketing ploy that's designed to relate a product with an established celebrity i.e - you see Harrison Ford on the screen and (now and again) subconsciously the products he's previously endorsed come to mind. Besides, you've go to be pretty stupid to believe that when Harrison Ford's finished-up on set he rushes home to enjoy a bottle of non-descript Japanese beer, or whatever he's been endorsing. The same goes for the rest of them.

A genuine cause for concern is when TV news desks invite celebrities to comment on world affairs/current events. I've lost count of how many times my eyes have glazed over when watching a topical debate on TV and they've booked an entirely uninformed actor who's only genuine concern is getting paid for their useless feedback. The most memorable example was when the actor Brian Cox was invited onto a British debate hosted by the BBC. He was torn to shreds after sparring with a panel who actually knew what they were talking about, but received a standing ovation from the studio audience. His 'act' of an informed commentator fooled them into thinking that his comments had any impact. They didn't.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-Wawi8oIC4"]The comedian Dave Chappelle sums it up perfectly.[/ame]

 

[konradv]

What do you think we should do? Buy the crap because we have been taught that actors are really celestial beings or take a second look at tinseltown's influence in pop-culture? I think congress should take a look at truth an advertising. I recall years ago that a little soap-opera depicting a patient and a doctor had a little disclaimer that said "a dramatization". In other words the scenario wasn't true. It would be fair to the public if they understood that their favorite movie stars don't really use the crap they are selling but they are using their fame and recognition to make big bucks by lying about the product they are peddling. If the Ad-agency showed how much the stars were compensated for selling the stuff it would go a long way towards protecting the consumer.

Will automobile ads need to say, "girl does not come with car"? I'd be more worried about money politicians ask for to run their campaigns and the promises they need to make to get it. SUPPORT PUBLIC FINANCING OF ELECTIONS. It'll cost us less in the long run.

 

[percysunshine]

Actors are addicted to the attention.

So am I.

I like to post a picture of my svelt body relaxing in the sun as an avatar so complete strangers can admire it on a message board.

I haven't been paid yet either.

 

[whitehall]

I imagine the cost of paying actors to pretend they like the product is reflected in the price. The bigger the actor the greater the advertising budget and the higher the retail price. Why not hire someone off the street to work for 1% of what we pay the pretty faces to sell us stuff?

 

[Sherry]

Actors are addicted to the attention.

So am I.

I like to post a picture of my svelt body relaxing in the sun as an avatar so complete strangers can admire it on a message board.

I haven't been paid yet either.

You look like such a free spirit.

 

[whitehall]

You have former senator and movie star Fred Thompson trying to get us to buy something called "reverse mortgage". Bob Wagner pitches the same thing. Big star Al Baldwin makes unfunny airline commercials and Bill Shatner sells vacations. Jamie Lee Curtis pitches stuff that makes your bowls move. The point is that these people are stars and presumably richer than most small countries. Why do they need to pitch stuff that we don't want and they don't use? Let somebody else get some work. I think some congressman should submit a bill that forces the Ad-agencies to indicate how much these stars are compensated for selling the product and if and if they actually use it as they claim and if the product doesn't work we can sue them directly as well as the company.

You're asking for the federal government to further regulate the ad industry?

I prefer to call it "consumer protection" from the ad industry that has been under-regulated for a half a century.

 

[Zoom-boing]

You have former senator and movie star Fred Thompson trying to get us to buy something called "reverse mortgage". Bob Wagner pitches the same thing. Big star Al Baldwin makes unfunny airline commercials and Bill Shatner sells vacations. Jamie Lee Curtis pitches stuff that makes your bowls move. The point is that these people are stars and presumably richer than most small countries. Why do they need to pitch stuff that we don't want and they don't use? Let somebody else get some work. I think some congressman should submit a bill that forces the Ad-agencies to indicate how much these stars are compensated for selling the product and if and if they actually use it as they claim and if the product doesn't work we can sue them directly as well as the company.

You're asking for the federal government to further regulate the ad industry?

I prefer to call it "consumer protection" from the ad industry that has been under-regulated for a half a century.

You can call it what ever you want . . . it's not the government's job to protect people from their own stupidity. No one is forcing you to go get a reverse mortgage just because Fred Thompason or Robert Wagner says so. And if you do that without finding our more information? Well, stupid is as stupid does.

Do people actually watch commercials? I mute or change the channel, can't stand commercials.

btw, how do you know that the actors don't use the products they're endorsing? And why is it ok for an unknown actor to promote a product but you're all upset over well-known actors promoting a product? They're earning a living . . why you have a problem with that?

btw, voice-overs are where the big bucks are at.

 

[Sherry]

Thanks to Jennifer, I feel like a goddess after I shave.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYJ-oJRFVno]Jennifer Lopez - Gillette Venus Commercial - YouTube[/ame]

 

[waltky]

I can think of 3 reasons...

... to keep their face before the public...

... they're in between pictures and need the money...

... their career is in decline and they need a way to help bring `em back up.

 

[whitehall]

I guess the issue boils down to pop-hysteria or mob hysteria if you will or maybe it's the sub-standard education system in the US. Actors pretend for a living. Why would intelligent people believe that products hawked by actors are superior to anything else? If hollywood defenders don't want any restriction on an actor's opportunity to sell stuff how about a mandatory class in school showing how to spot the lies in commercials? Everyone should know by now that ad-agencies employ psychologists and behavior experts to determine what makes people buy certain products. The fine print mandatory in the prescription drug hawkers tells you everything. If the government didn't make them tell you the side effects of the drugs and the doctors who prescribe them were too busy, you might take a drug that would cause "fatal episodes". Spotting misconceptions and omissions and outright lies in commercials and ignoring the pretty faces who sell stuff would have a secondary benefit. It would go a long way in improving the understanding of the political system.

 

[Unkotare]

You've really got nothing else to worry about, you idiot?

 

[beachbum81]

Money, what else? They're accustomed to a particular lifestyle and need money to live it.

 

[laughinReaper]

Go Fonzi !

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQ4RdaH0yKg]One Reverse Mortgage 120 Seconds - YouTube[/ame]

 

[blastoff]

They pay a boatload of money for a few hours work. They'd be idiots not to take advantage of the easy cash.

 

[blake]

They are stars. They show you their acting quality. In commercials as well they show you how good they are in telling lie.

 

[whitehall]

You've really got nothing else to worry about, you idiot?

Are you talkin to me ukie? What movie am I paraphrasing?

 

[whitehall]

They are stars. They show you their acting quality. In commercials as well they show you how good they are in telling lie.

I don't want to see their acting quality when they are trying to sell me stuff that they wouldn't use. The question is why would stupid Americans support their lifestyle by buying the crap?

 

[whitehall]

Fred Thompson is still making a buck by selling mortgages. Is it illegal for a lawyer who played a lawyer in the movies to use his fame to sell stuff without telling us that he doesn't have the slightest connection to the product he is shilling other than taking a monthly check from the ad-agency?

 

[MikeK]

What do you think we should do? Buy the crap because we have been taught that actors are really celestial beings or take a second look at tinseltown's influence in pop-culture? I think congress should take a look at truth an advertising. I recall years ago that a little soap-opera depicting a patient and a doctor had a little disclaimer that said "a dramatization". In other words the scenario wasn't true. It would be fair to the public if they understood that their favorite movie stars don't really use the crap they are selling but they are using their fame and recognition to make big bucks by lying about the product they are peddling. If the Ad-agency showed how much the stars were compensated for selling the stuff it would go a long way towards protecting the consumer.

You're quite right. There has been considerable degradation of the rules governing truth and accuracy in advertising. There presently are ads running on night-time television for products that supposedly will grow hair, make one lose 80 pounds in a month, get rich quick in real estate, make one's penis bigger, and on and on.

The advertisers could not get away with such wildly dishonest claims in the recent past. The fact that they are getting away with it now is manifest evidence of corporate influence over our legislators. It's another example of the ruinous effect of money on politics.

 

[Avatar4321]

They like working and getting paid?