[OP]
Contributor
This afternoon, while cleaning up from a cook out, he was on PBS. I can't figure if he is trying to be a craftsman, or just a tool salesman. Every operation he does, he explains how nice it is to have a (pick your brand) tool, that Woodcraft just happens to sell. What do you think?
Member
All about the marketing
Contributor
I'd wager that Norm was responsible for 99% of the biscuit joiner sales in the US.
Even today, I bet Chevy/GM sells a whole lot of Pickups & SUV's because everyone on This Old House drives a decked out one.
Overall - I expect some quid pro quo on these shows. It's the price you pay for not having commercials interrupt the flow of things.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon
Moderator
How do you suppose that these shows are funded so they can even be on the air? Sponsorship is nothing new. Some of the pitch is a little more up front these days, but without sponsorships, there would be no programs like this to watch and nobody willing to be the "start" of the show. It's about making a living.
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The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...
Contributor
All of the above. He earns his living doing woodworking TV shows.Originally Posted by Bruce Wrenn
Contributor
I think more than the sponsorship its his entire delivery and demeanor that usually ruffles things. I know it's painful for me to watch and use to force myself to watch him when the show popped on for some odd reason now I just change the channel.
Comparing him to any other show is just ridiculous. Norm, TOH, Rough cut, even Roy Underhil when he rarely has a lie neillsen or other modern day tool in hand on the show, NEVER call out the brand name and repeatedly over emphasize the manufacturer, ever. More often they are bound by the rules of underwriting and supporters, manufacturers, and retailers, are mentioned in designated "spots" and not directly promoted by the personalities on the show.
Phillips most nauseating series was when he literally somehow managed to build his entire monstrous house on the show and began bringing his wife (poor woman) into the mix. Nearly every episode was nothing more than him with a manufacturer of whatever it was he could have negotiated into his own home construction (likely for free for exposure). It was one time when I took the time to write a letter to both PBS, and his station, to comment on how flagrant the show had become. It was terrible.
If you want to go down the road of the wood whisperer and others who are willing to build their brand by selling themselves in any way needed to populate your shop and pay your rent then get off pbs and get on the web and you tube. That level of promiscuity has no place on public broadcasting. The funny thing is the worst offenders are usually the least educated in their craft.
Contributor
I agree. You can sponsor without hawking the product incessantly. My Dad and I were talking about this last night. He said there was a TV show years ago called "The FBI". He said it was sponsored by Ford Motor Company and every car in the show was (only) a Ford product. He said Ford was the main advertizer during commercial breaks. But he pointed out that the actors in the show never said
"Gee Agent Smith. We should go out and get in our amazing new Ford Mustang and go interview that bad guy suspect." Dad predicted Scott Phillips would have.
Last edited by Frederick Skelly; 04-15-2018 at 11:39 AM.
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
“If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”
Contributor
There is/was a show on Discovery Channel recently called Garage Rehab. The show was practically an hour long commercial. They worked in a supplier's name in at least every third sentence.
Contributor
I don't have cable or satellite tv so in don't see the programs much at all but use to love the hands on shows. Whether it be mechanic/garage work, car and frame building, restoration, and so on. Was recently at a home over a holiday with the monster cable package and watching many of the shows on velocity and channels like them (hgtv seems to be one monster ad I cant even watch any of it). But the shows were all in these shops where you could tell the shop owners who were not, nor should ever attempt to be, actors were reading horribly scrippted, horribly delivered, made up, drama. It wasnt even watchable. As you say, from one end to the other a giant advertisement.
It's fine on commercial tv but Phillips pushes it to a bad level on pbs in my opinion. I've often wondered if Phillips is not bound as tightly by the underwriting rules or something but have no idea.
Product placement in movies and tv is no doubt a big money maker and I'm sure it helps pay the bills but pbs doesn't operate in the profit structure of commercial television. Still lots of dollars in the budget. But..
Last edited by Mark Bolton; 04-15-2018 at 4:21 PM.
Contributor
There have been many versions of modern commercials. Some here are too young to remember the Arthur Godfrey radio show. The commercials often consisted of Arthur and friends having a conversation about the wonderful product ."Yes
Arthur , I'd love another glass of Mom Mitchell 's iced tea! "
"here ya' go ....and my doctor says there's nothing better for you!!". It was on for hours almost every day!!
Member
Don't want commercials? Drop broadcast and cable TV, buy a Roku and subscribe to streaming services. Those with no commercials.
Don't want product placement in shows? Take up reading books (and select carefully, as some authors have discovered product placement).
Fair winds and following seas,
Jim Waldron
Contributor
Even with Roku your going to struggle to get free it and your access is going to be drastically limited. I am in that camp. I am not opposed to commercial content Im just not willing to be w***d out. However if you want to see anything popular and mainstream (for whatever reason) your going to either pay, or see, something. My customers get NOTHING for nothing. Someone (and its not me generating revenue from thin air) has to pay my light bill and heat bill and machinery bill. I am willing to watch ad's and see uderwritten and sponsored content. Without it we'd all be sitting around farm tables, walking on dirt floors, reading only information disseminated down to us for free from the church.
Member
If, like the post I replied to, you don't want to watch commercials, you do have the option of quite mainstream streaming subscriptions. A bit of free content is around, but not much worthy programming. I don't think I made reference to a "free lunch" approach. It's like my Daddy used to say,
Silver tongued devil, he was.
"It ain't always true that you get what you pay for, but you damned sure don't get what you don't pay for."
At least with streaming you can get away from the monstrous packages of paying for a LOT of channel you don't want. If you subscribe to Comcast or Time Warner or other very large CATV carriers, there are going to be a greater number of channels you don't watch than channels you do watch. You pay for 'em all. As long as you pay your bill, they don't much care if you watch any of 'em.
Fair winds and following seas,
Jim Waldron
Contributor
Amazon has been running ads for their original programming at the beginning of Prime videos.
Contributor
There was a period there when EVERY project was made with a Kreg Jig. Not that I'm complaining about that. I've got one and it's useful in the right application. What bugged me was that he used so many screws! The edges were lined with holes. They were about 2 &1/2 inches apart on whatever he was joining. At that rate it would take 50-70 screws for a single kitchen cabinet.
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