the buzz log

There is a Barack Obama protest in the works, and it's not on Capitol Hill.

Tinseltown has long been seen or accused of being the liberal glitterati, but the Hollywood Reporter says that TV network suits haven't been happy with how chatty the president has been, especially on primetime.

Sure, arguably that last press conference was not the White House's idea, and No. 44 just had to show up to the 100th day party that the media had been planning for so long. But come on—three in three months? Even Bill Clinton, who can really talk your ear off, kept it down to two in four years.

Obama's primetime penchant has supposedly cost ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox about $30 million in ad revenue. Fox decided enough was enough this last outing, and stuck to airing "Lie to Me," and won Wednesday night ratings...as it usually does. 

Sure, the president has worked up lots of buzz and ratings for recent appearances on "The Tonight Show" and "60 Minutes." But we're talking a KFC ad that you can never get back again. (Well, until the next day.) And don't bring up civic responsibilities about educating a well-informed republic, and whether an episode of "Two and a Half Men" has more lasting meaning than the knowledge that swine flu should really be called H1N1. That is what the Internet is for.

But really, rather than entertaining ideas of a revolt that they're probably too scared to execute just yet, network execs should extend a hand to Obama and get him to mention a few of his favorite items, and then charge advertisers for it. Consider this:

• Ford Escape hybrid sales are rocking because team Obama drives them.
• The president has shattered records in license plates.
• His autobiographies paid off the family student loans—and his mention of one book title fueled global sales. Hello, bookseller ads.
• That elusive youth audience? They trick out in his gear.
• For a brief moment, he even saved newspapers.

And then if the execs could get the First Lady to amble behind the podium during his speech? Here come the clothing retail dollars.

This isn't a new idea. "Saturday Night Live" gave Republican rival John McCain one of his finest comic moments as a QVC pitchman. Come on, networks, extend a hand to the president. The only fist you'll need to make is over all those dollars that'll fall into your hands.

Filed under: TV, Business, Communication, Barack Obama

In a recession, people turn to comfort foods and longer skirts…but not make-up? Like journalists and electronic retail employees, the Avon Lady at first looks to become another endangered species in budget-conscious times.

The cosmetics company that relies on the face-to-unmade-face approach posted news that its quarterly profits have dropped by more than a third. That downer pales in comparison to  Estee Lauder's Monday report of a 70% decline in quarterly profits.

On the, er, face of it, that sounds like bad news. But, like in so many desperate situations, standards are lower in a bad economy. For one thing, Estee Lauder actually beat analyst expectations, and its announcement actually helped shares rise on all cosmetic companies.

For its part, Avon long understod the need for a make-over, and has been retooling its products to be more affordable. Even better, the company wants more ladies to go door to door, giving the ranks of the unemployed a sporting chance to make the world a prettier place. Or at least tone down those shiny spots.

Filed under: Business, Cosmetics

Super Bowl Sunday is way more than a gridiron face-off. The all-American event is the ultimate couch-potato gathering, complete with guacamole dip, unashamed partisanship, and commercial excess. Amidst the usual fan frenzy of looking up the roster and betting odds and searching for team gear, a few die-hards actually zone in on "2009 super bowl commercials."

Web interest aside—and 100 million pairs of eyeballs are estimated to tune in on Sunday—ad sales have been a bit sluggish, and not all the regulars are coming back. At last count, NBC still had two empty slots out of 67 of the 30-second spots. Still, spots cost up to $3 million (higher than last year), which means companies are paying out $100,000 a second for airtime (math courtesy of The New York Times), about 3 cents per viewer (math courtesy of WCCO).

That assumes no one will blink when the commercials come on, but one poll does estimate more than half won't. And, 1 out of 5 viewers come just for those fleeting seconds between the field clashes.

As for the 2009 line-up, USA Today lists a "roster of Super Bowl ads," down to which quarter the pitches will roll. If you want a more detailed game plan on how it's all going to go down, below is a rundown on who took themselves out of the game, what didn't make NBC's standards, the special effects, and what you can get for (almost) nothing.

Getting a Pass. Among those not making a return visit: FedEx ("time for us to call a time out") and General Motors (with the mild understatement, "we're in the midst of cost-cutting"). CNET tracks the steady decline of tech ads, which saw their glory days in 2000.

Nixed. NBC has standards for its commercial (the programming, well, that's another story). The network couldn't stomach the PETA ad depicting lingerie models cavorting with cruciferous vegetables and gourds. Of course, rejection (and did we mention the lingerie?) inflamed the Buzz and prompted searches for "peta" (+142%) "banned peta commercial" (off the charts). (Incidentally, The Hollywood Reporter listed 8 cuts that PETA would have had to make to get a Sunday showing, like the "licking eggplant" moment.) On the other spectrum, NBC also said no to a pro-life video with President Obama as an unborn child, according to the Washington Times. Given that "banned super bowl ads" is a Search sideshow, these companies get to save the cash and reap the publicity.

Dogs, Denny's, and Tony the Tiger, Oh My. Among those stepping in for their pigskin premiere: Pedigree, Denny's, and Kellog's Frosted Flakes. Yes, the glam days have given way to comfort foods (well, except for maybe the dog food). Denny's pitch for its Grand Slam Breakfast doesn't quite match the sport, but the restaurant chain aims to get at audience stomachs through the funny bone. The dog-food maker will focus on adoption, while Kellog's feline flak Tony the Tiger wants viewers to choose which kids' playing field on its website should be renovated.

Three for 3D. A trailer for the animated "Monsters vs. Aliens," energy drinks, and an NBC comedy (airing the day after) will get a 3D treatment. PC Magazine gets into the technical details, although DreamWorks movie exec Jeffrey Katzenberg points out in a video blog that football fans will probably be too sloshed to appreciate the effect. About 125 million 3D glases were made and are free at places like Target and Best Buy, if there are any left.

Bribes and Surprises. Denny's promises a "special message that is sure to surprise and delight millions of Americans" (WSJ reveals it's just a breakfast give-away). The Universal Orlando resort says to look for an "unprecedented offer." Hulu aims to make a splash. Hyundai's sign-o'-the-times offer almost verges on anti-buy: Lose your job, you can change your mind on your purchase.

Ad Reruns. Because you can never watch enough ads, at least according to advertisers, some are already available online. Naturally, since this is the 21st century, the campaigns also go offscreen: The Orlando Sentinel reports E-Trade's talking baby has a Facebook profile, a food company created an iPhone "Shake and Bark" app, and a job site lets people "give tips to annoying co-workers." Does all this work? Yup, if one believes the Nielsen Company report measuring a 24% average increase in Web traffic for Super Bowl advertisers. (Album sales of the halftime acts don't do so badly either.)

Counter-programming Relief. Yes, the Puppy Bowl V returns, inducing high-pitched cooing squeals over packs of unbearable cuteness. Anthem singer: Pepper the Parrot. Token cats: Kitty Half-Time Show.

Filed under: Business, Super Bowl, Ads, Economics