Lively, entertaining reviews of, and essays on, old and newer films and everything relating to them, written by professional author William Schoell.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

TIME-WARNER CABLE -- "SETTLING" EQUALS SALES?

TWC spokesman
New Time-Warner Cable of NY commercial.

In a new commercial for Time-Warner Cable of New York, which offers a "bundle" offer of phone, TV and Internet, we see a wife dreamily starring out the window at a good-looking guy washing his car. Her husband -- who is whiny and nerdy and much less attractive -- is doing a crossword or something along those lines. "Do you think you settled?" the husband says, startling the wife, who is thinking just that as she watches the good-looking guy. But the husband is talking about cable service. Suddenly the TWC spokesman magically appears in their living room, and tells them about the new TWC bundle. The husband is ecstatic. "We don't have to settle!" The wife is pleased, but you can tell she's still thinking about the guy washing his car. I don't know -- I recognize that when it comes to couples many people do feel that they've settled, but is dissatisfaction in marriage, as well as sexual frustration, something that should be used to sell cable service? The spot is meant to be amusing, but there's something creepy and pathetic about it.  You're not certain if you're supposed to feel sorry for the frustrated, disappointed wife or the clueless husband. In any case, the "creators" of the ad seem to understand that in some marriages there is more satisfaction in watching television than there is in the bedroom or anywhere else. Sad.

Verdict: Kind of gross all told. **.

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