In Media Buyer Planner, Chopsticky saw that despite these recessionary times, 30-second spots during the Academy Awards were sold out and were going for $1.5 million a pop.
Prior to and during the show, JC Penney ran what seemed to be seven or eight 30-second spots.
Guess it figured since there were twice as many nominees for best picture this year, it could double up on the media weight bludgeoning that leaves an audience crying “Uncle.”
Guess it also figured that said audience — which just might have an interest in engaging stories and characters — would suddenly want and expect less during commercial breaks.
With millions watching and four full minutes of air time to unveil anything remotely involving and interactive (and with a shelf life beyond the event itself), JC Penney ran what can kindly be described as vaporous montages of vacuous models.
In one, a pretty boy waits at a coffee shop for a pretty girl. In another, a group of pretty boys pretends to play at a preppy and otherwise deserted (not surprisingly) pool hall.
Granted, the spots were pretty themselves. They certainly didn’t skimp on casting or production value.
Throw in some pretty poppy tunes (though not as catchy as Apple’s new iPad iTune) and one realizes the spots must’ve cost Penney a pretty penny to produce, let alone run.
Add all that to what — at even a discounted family pack ad rate — must be a media buy the equivalent of a Wall Street CEO’s bonus, and one also realizes that Penney’s CFO is probably in The Hurt Locker right now, looking at a collective invoice of $10 million.
Ten million dollars.
Which, in the hands of director Lee Daniels, is exactly what it cost to produce the emotionally powerful movie starring Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz and Mariah Carey that won two Oscars last night — Precious.
Precious is also what these pumpkin pot stickers from Chopsticky are. They taste like a million bucks without blowing your per diem.
