Melancholy, Merit, and Merchandise

Shows such as The Biggest Loser, Supernanny, and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition aren't new to American television. In the 1950s, when television was popping up in more Americans' homes, shows like Queen for a Day and Strike It Rich were featured on all major news networks. The reality shows of today and shows of the '50s both have the same type theme, to help contestants get out of whatever difficult situation they may be in. The 1950s shows were meant to help those who needed assistance, mostly financial.

This clip is from Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. The crew meets the family they will be helping.




These types of shows used emotional stories to relate to the viewer. After WWII, America decided it was time to go back to family values and traditions. The family was the central part of American life. With such stories, like the ones used in Queen for a Day, the viewers could relate one way or another. Even if viewers were never in that situation, they could hear a tragic story and want to go out and buy a merchandise to prevent themselves from getting into that same predicament. In 1964, George Katona named America a “mass consumption society,” meaning the economy depended on the purchases of goods.

This clip is from the 1950s TV show Queen for a Day. The contestant is telling the audience about her difficult situation for her and her family.




The article goes on to describe how many of these shows were aired during the day, when most housewives watched TV. Women who didn’t work and stayed at home were the main target for these types of show. Many appliances and home products were used to appeal to these women.

With the introduction of social programs, such as Medicare and welfare benefits, popular shows that helped out contestants quickly diminished. Since many programs were put into place to help struggling Americans, it seemed as if these types of television shows were becoming less and less popular with viewers.

Questions:

1. Why do you think shows like Supernanny and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition emerged on the television scene in the mid 2000s?

2. How do you think products and prizes displayed in these types of shows have changed? How is Extreme Makeover: Home Edition different from Queen for a Day in how they mention name brand products?

Product Placement on Modern Family

In an episode of Modern Family Phil is having a birthday and all he wants is an ipad. The entire episode is all about Phil's love of the ipad and his wife's struggle to get him one. This is what happens when he finally gets his ipad.

Supplemental Screening: Design for Dreaming

Check out this choreographed celebration of cars and kitchens made for the 1956 "Motorama". Available at http://www.archive.org/details/Designfo1956.

Home Improvement: Tool Time Part 3

I Used this because on "Tool Time" they are always advertising the products made by the shows sponsor. Even though it isn't a true television show, it does advertise great examples of product integration and consumer education. If you have ever seen the audience of the show "Tool Time", it is typically all men, so a big sales push on the show is to appeal to the "Man-ly" side of them to buy this equipment that is made for "Real Men"

Oprah choosing her "Favorite Things"

Here we see Oprah behind the scenes as she chooses her "Favorite Things" to talk about on the Oprah Winfrey show. For those unfamiliar with the ways of Queen Oprah, the Favorite Things show is awesome because the audience members get ridiculous amounts of free stuff (such as cars) and pretty much every product she features becomes insanely popular and sells out everywhere immediately. This has been christened the "Oprah effect."

Before my mom and I sold our lingerie store, we carried La Perla sweat pants. These were $100 sweats. Women would come in all the time and say "Ooh I saw this on Oprah's Favorite Things!" Thank you Oprah for compelling women to buy fantastically comfortable yet pricey sweats.

-Sterling

Product Placement in Soap Opera

Here is an example of product placement that is found on television. It appeared in an episode of "Days of Our Lives" and was not only used, but was zoomed in on at multiple points throughout this part of the episode. This is just a minor example of what today's product placement is like in society nowadays.

Ellen Promotion (Start-1:20)

This is a clip of Ellen promoting a product on how to properly fold a t-shirt during her talk show. The product is being displayed as a means of added value to organization.

The Biggest Loser/ Brita Partnership

This clip from The Biggest Loser is a good example of product integration, and consumer education. They teamed up with Brita to promote water filters and incorporated the use of the product into the show.