Stuart Elliot of The New York Times devotes his advertising column today to the boom in pop culture shows devoted to New Jersey (where I live).
The bumper crop of Garden State shows includes “Boardwalk Empire” on HBO, “Cake Boss” on TLC, “Jersey Couture” on Oxygen, “Jerseylicious” on Style Network, “Jersey Shore” on MTV and “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” on Bravo.
Many advertisers in major categories like automobiles, fast food, hair care, movies, packaged foods and soft drinks are eager to sponsor New Jersey-focused series, include their products inside episodes or hire cast members for personal appearances. Among them are blue-chip brands like Jimmy Dean, Dial, Eastman Kodak, Target, Verizon and Warner Brothers.
Apparently, viewers are getting sick of watching the latest glamorization of Manhattan and are looking for more relatable characters, which they find out my way.
I do notice that none of these shows focus on glorifying New Jersey. They aren't about scientists at Princeton or revolve around the social strata at Basking Ridge and how it's been affected by the AT&T buyout or deal with legal machinations at the Law Building on McCarter in Newark. On the other hand, they aren't about mobsters or corrupt politicians, so I suppose that's something as well.
I make fun of The Wall Street Journal whenever it runs stories like this but it seems right at home in The New York Times' advertising coverage. I'm not sure why.
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