LS 511 Unit 8 Town Hall Kaplan University February 24, 2011 John Gray

Tonight we want to look at the uses of music in other media. We also want to look at other “products” and advertising in general in various art forms.

Some products appear in films and some songs do as well. Should there be restrictions on the uses of music and / or products in movies and on television? Are there disadvantages to a sponsor’s name or product constantly being on the screen? Welch’s Grape Juice/Flintstones Mentioned in a few episodes --- those episodes are harder to sell in syndication. Show you tube link of Barney and Fred smoking Winstons: Why was the sponsor changed to Welch’s Grape Juice? Why are there no cigarette ads on TV?

LS 511 The use of ads reflecting music or a physical product are a way to keep the product, or its name, before the audience. Should there be restrictions on this practice. Consider the Lawrence Welk Show ---- the sponsor’s name hung from a sign over the band the entire time that the show was on the air (at least in most shows). Geritol was the sponsor of the Lawrence Welk Show. Does constant presence of a product, or music, make the production better, or worse? Or is it a matter of opinion?

What about movies where the character on screen is watching TV and is watching a commercial? Is that a clever way to get an ad message to the audience, or might the audience resent it? On some episodes of Friends, there was an Oreo box visible on the table. Does this make the show more realistic, or like an ad itself? Thoughts? Questions? Comments? Thanks, JG