News, Reviews & Commentary on Lesbian and Bisexual women in Entertainment and the Media

"Gossip Girl" ad campaign takes the heat

For a show that reported an entire season's worth of dismal ratings last year, The CW's Gossip Girl sure knows how to create a media buzz. In late April, Gossip Girl released a poster featuring Blake Lively's, character Serena Van der Woodsen, in the, er, throes of passion. Either that or she was about to let out an astronomical sneeze. The only text on the poster was a simple, but succinct "OMFG." The Parents Television council was outraged, calling The CW to task for using, "cleavage kissing to hype a kids' show."

I love the Gossip Girl marketing team because they never peddle the show as anything other than exactly what it is: a tawdry, teenage soap opera. (Which I watch, diligently.)

To hype season 2, the folks over at The CW released another round of posters similar to the "OMFG" set. There's a lot of skin, and some simple quoted text. "Every parent's nightmare," from The Boston Herald. "A nasty piece of work," from the The New York Post. And my personal favorite, from The Parents Television Council: "Mind-blowingly inappropriate."

After giving these ads a hearty round of applause, I got to thinking about other marketing campaigns. What if all network television shows went with this advertising approach, and turned the criticism of The Parents Television Council into their taglines? The results would look like — well, they'd look just like this:

I'd watch everyone of these show, based on these advertisements alone — wouldn't you?

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  • Raerly's picture

    I just had to comment

    haha. Breasts are mistaken for implants, and ahhh Tina Fey. That was classic. Not classy, but classic.

    Never met a pearl quite like you that could shimmer and rot at the same time through

    uh's picture

    !!

    i love your quote! it took me a while to realize where i heard it. duh! it's from a distillers song!
    Through_the_Rye's picture

    I'd watch everyone of these

    I'd watch everyone of these show, based on these advertisements alone — wouldn't you?

    Definitely!

    Tscgrad06's picture

    They should be ashamed...

    just for being so tacky! I've never watched the show, but know all about the "controversy" surrounding it thanks to CNN. I'm 23 so I think I'm out of their target age range, but it just looks so damn cheesy. I see a cancellation in their future. Just LAME. TsC
    Nathiest's picture

    Gossip Girl had on Average

    Gossip Girl had on Average of 2.2 million viewers last year and thats GOOD for a CW show.

    -Nathiest
    the devil is in the details

    sherbert's picture

    arent most shows...

    aren't most shows on tv riddled with sex-related situations? HAHA. If i wasn't already a regular viewer..I'd be tempted to watch 30 rock just to hear what they say about boobs...

    'your sarcisicasity is verbacious to my intellectioniosity.'

    Janay's picture

    PISSSED THE FRICK OFF!!!!!!

    That pisses me off, Gossip Girl couldn't have a more sexed up campaign ad with out actually having porn-ads but what, the lesbian-ish storyline was too racy or something! Unless I'm misreading something or am an idiot when I read the books I could swear Blair had a crush on Serena...I know they haven't got to it yet but I've heard they not even gonna explore that!

    Another thing they haven't gotten to is Dan's sexuality but I know that should be quite a ways away.....after he dates then breaks up with Vanessa....but is this show following the frickin books at all! I watched the first couple shows and was a bit lost, plus was into Bionic Woman which came on at the same time so I don't even know much about what has already aired.

     

    http://jusjay.blogspot.com

    crayon face's picture

    Gossip Girl :|

    I watched The first Two Episodes, HEEELLO Gossip Girl People i want that part of My life Back Please. I could Do alot better in that two hours like Erm, Reading the books maybe? Which were much better.. 

    Anyho The programme is so Dull and frankly Crap that they have to use these 'sexy' (to whom?!) ad campaigns to pull in people. BLAH!

    " i *Heart* Oy oy lady"

    Stacy's picture

    Abso-effing-lutely!

    "I'd watch everyone of these show, based on these advertisements alone — wouldn't you?"

    Yes yes and yes!

    plus anything that pisses off the PTC is just an added bonus in my book:)

    sten's picture

    gossip girl

    haha, ehh i like gossip girl...

    blake lively? yes please.

    Meggerz's picture

    OMFG Yes I would

    I am an admitted addict of Gossip Girl, I would watch with or without the ads, but I have to agree I would watch all of these shows with the PTC taglines...Hooo-larious! :-)
    Bekkah's picture

    *stares a moment at picture

    *stares a moment at picture of blake lively....*

     

    i'm sorry...wha....?

     

    OH! right....tv.  lol, i loved the 30 rock one.....

     

    for some reason i hear tina fey's voice doing that comment.  :)

    FlyHigh's picture

    Heck yes I would watch

    It's not like the shows that the Parents TV Council critisize are targeted to kids so the taglines aren't so much a deterrent as a "come here and watch me" (sorry couldn't think of a good word).

    And yes I would watch these check out these shows because of these ads. You should take up a career in marketing for television =). The taglines show that the shows aren't normal and normalcy is for our own lives not tv.

    Lesbian story line between Blair and Serena? Yes please.

    Jay's picture

    a "sex related situation"

    a "sex related situation" with Kate Walsh?

    Count me the fuck in!!

     This is hilarious. I really appreciate Gossip Girl's outward acceptance of their smut. It's very commending of them to do something like this. I hate the show, but I respect them a bit more.

    Halley's picture

    I just find it ironic that

    I just find it ironic that theres an ad with BOOBS all over the place on NBC without having the FCC jump all over it like the Janet Jackson Justin incident.
    PiperRoX's picture

    I definately agree with

    I definately agree with FlyHigh. We need to see Blair and Serena together. They would be cute.

    Apparently in the book "Gossip Girl" there were subtle hints that B and s's relationship ventured slightly beyond just friendship.

    I don't care what anybody says, Gossip Girl rocked!!! Maybe i need to get a life or domething lol, but i love that show.

    The ad just makes me want to watch the next season even more.

     

     

    reddirtgirl's picture

    Brilliant campaign

    Nothing would make me want to watch a show more than a watch dog group telling me I shouldn't.  

     

    Lisa's picture

    ok..

    this is just strange. do they want parents to loathe gossip girl?? well, i guess if thats what tey think will work... love the made up ads. especially the 30 rock one.
    avalaurent's picture

    I'm obsessed with Gossip Girl...

    and definitely not in the target demographic, although they score big(relative to their audience) ratings with women 18 to 34, along with the tween set, so I guess I am.  Anyway, the ads are amusing to me.  I think for the rabid tweens it works exactly as it seemingly is supposed to and for us older girls it's meant to be trashy-sexy-guilty pleasure-fun.

    Anyway, back to Blair and Serena.  I think February might be a better time to discuss that kiss we all feel owed. :)  Sweeps may be the only thing that takes the "besties" to another level.  And hopefully the wait means it won't be a quick plot device.

    "Deep down, I'm pretty superficial"  -Ava Gardner

    Zuri's picture

    I just find it funny...

    How parents can get upset and they allow there kids to live and act like they are adults anyway.... I went to a HS that was similar not in the city and not "Rich" but the things that went on were crazy. I mean how can you speak on something when you allow your 16 year olds boyfriend to spend the night. What the hell do you think that they are doing, studying? Yeah anatomy maybe! The PTC is probably just upset that the CW actually depicted their "Little Angels" in the material lol!!! And I love the Ugly Betty!!!

    XOXO Zuri

    bg3655's picture

    nice caps...

    & font-match to the originals, very clean! Cheers--bg
    Brutal_Romance's picture

    eh...who watches it anyways?!

    that show was not more than a useless parading of whatever those teenagers bought on their daily 6 hours of shopping. the plot is yawn-worthy, and i rather watch the paint on my walls dry than this processed soap TV crap.

    but i will give the books a shot.

    Louk's picture

    Gossip Girl

    I got hooked right away.. and even the storylines sucks, which I don't think they do, I'd still watch it just 'cause of Blake Lively :P