Archive for October 14th, 2008

Gary Vaynerchuk, host of web-based “Wine Library TV,” isn’t your typical talking head. To introduce himself, he spits out his last name, syllable by syllable, as if the consonants taste like sour grapes. Bottles of wine on his desk obscure his face while he’s speaking to the camera. And his programs can last anywhere from 20 minutes to a whopping three quarters of an hour. Read the rest of this entry »

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By iTVX Staff

It’s not exactly product placement per se but darn close. On Friday, Alex Trebek will have a lot in common with AMC’s Mad Men. That night, Jeopardy will feature a category devoted to the show - more specifically its 1960s setting with categories including ad slogans and style.

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By iTVX Staff

A Cheverlot truck was front and center in last night’s latest Worst Week episode. The show, which up until now just had marginal placement, had a great inclusion last night with the central character once again wreaking havoc on his soon-to-be in-laws. A GMC truck was also visible and in the subtle-not-necessarilly-product-placement category the dog’s name is revealed to be Texaco. When the name is repeated when the dog runs away - one can’t help but wonder if Texaco paid for the mentions. If not, subtle but effective unintentional product placement.

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By iTVX Staff

With all the buzz of Wall Street dwindling it seems highly appropriate for the reemergence of one Gordon Gekko. The iconic figure from Oliver Stone’s 1987 drama Wall Street will be resurrected in a sequel, according to Variety. Michael Douglas is set to reprise his “Greed is Good” character. Allan Loeb, who penned 21 earlier this year, has reportedly been hired to write the script.  Charlie Sheen and Stone are not expected to be affiliated with the film.

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You always knew a device that let you fast-forward through commercials was too good to be true. The reason why shows like Gossip Girl have gotten so heavy-handed with their product placement (”Here Serena, try some of this delicious Vitamin Water while mulling over your relationship with Dan!”) is because the coveted teen demographic are using DVRs to prerecord their programs and skip the commercials. Which is totally their right! But also, it’s hurting The CW’s Nielsen numbers. Except! New “delayed viewing” ratings are out, and it shows more people are watching The CW than previously thought. But! Those viewers are probably skipping ahead 30 seconds at a time. Read the rest of this entry »

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While the global markets quake in fear, movie audiences found family-friendly escapism in this week’s number one film Beverly Hills Chihuahua. The adventures of Chloe, a pampered lap dog from one of the wealthiest American neighborhoods, garnered US$ 29.3 million from audiences. Whether or not the box office will continue to be recession-proof is debatable, but Chloe’s lifestyle is certainly one of luxury and leisure. Carried down Rodeo Drive in a Louis Vuitton bag, her bootie-clad feet rarely touch the pavement.

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I count Ikea and Topps among the brands I like. There’s no more rewarding way to pass a lazy summer weekend than by gorging on Swedish meatballs and attempting to assemble an Ikea Kerftpnügen armoire using only a pinky-sized allen wrench and the chain’s famously minimalist directions.

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By iTVX Staff

In an article today, i09.com posts their top product placements in science fiction with E.T. not surprisingly leading the pack for Coors, Reeses’ Pieces and others. IBM and 2001: A Space Odyssey and Superman II’s use of Marlboro cigarettes are also mentioned.  Back to the Future Part II is also on the list. What do you think of the list? We think they got it pretty spot on.

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The world probably does not need yet another Web site where it can waste precious time watching old episodes of “I Dream of Jeannie,” clips from “The Daily Show” and the Michael Jackson MTV oeuvre.

But that is exactly what Joost, the much-hyped Internet video service, is set to give us. Read the rest of this entry »

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By iTVX Staff

Johnny Drama bosses Turtle around for some Raisin Bran raisins and V8. Golfers wear Barclays and KPMG hats. Vince and the boys drink Budweiser - lots of it. While this week’s episode of Entourage was tame in terms of strong product placement, the aforementioned examples struck a chord with us. The series has nicely - for the most part - integrated products in the show. Next week looks like it’ll feature Virgin. The streak continues…

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