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analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 18, 2008, 09:36 PM

On tonight's episode there was a very staged moment where a girls is tapping on an iPhone in the audience (which was actually in sleep while she faked interacting with it) and Ryan ask her what she was doing and if he could see it. Then Ryan went through a painful demo of "this is an iphone, you can buy music from american idol in one click by tapping it" while a iPhone demo video ran in the background. Ryan was totally faking a smile though-out it and talked monotone to get the point across that he is their advertising bitch. At the end he made a crack about having a drink and all the judges held up there cokes and gave a phony smile.

On top of all of it when Ryan taped the screen is was also still in sleep and every round of commercials were for the Air.

For me this does more harm then good for Apple as it was obvious Ryan was really unhappy about doing it and purposely tried to show it. It was embarrassing to watch and I was ashamed for Apple.

Doofy · Mar 18, 2008, 09:47 PM

Dude, you don't half watch some crap on the TV.

residentEvil · Mar 18, 2008, 09:52 PM

hahaha, you watch american idol.

Cold Warrior · Mar 18, 2008, 09:58 PM

I don't watch the show, but what you described does sound painful. It's unlike Apple to do something like this where the message isn't carefully produced and controlled.

Jawbone54 · Mar 18, 2008, 10:10 PM

It makes Apple look bad, IMHO. Even if Seacrest would've gone along with it, I can't see it coming off well.

turtle777 · Mar 18, 2008, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by residentEvil

hahaha, you watch american idol.

My first and second thought.

What was the rest all about ?

-t

brassplayersrock² · Mar 18, 2008, 10:28 PM

you still watch it after the stripper got kicked off?

64stang06 · Mar 18, 2008, 11:04 PM

American what?

brassplayersrock² · Mar 18, 2008, 11:10 PM

exactly

Chuckit · Mar 18, 2008, 11:22 PM

I know I'll take **** for this, but I think this season of American Idol is actually good. Jason Castro and Brooke White both entertain me each week. (I should note that I don't actually watch the whole show most of the time — I just DVR it and fast-forward through the crap.)

Kenneth · Mar 18, 2008, 11:27 PM

A.I. is on? I only watched the first few episodes.

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 18, 2008, 11:29 PM

Originally Posted by residentEvil

hahaha, you watch american idol.

Ya ya. Truth is I watch it in the beginning for the baaaad auditions and simon's comments and when they get down to the good ones I just fast forward the singing and just watch Simon's comments again.

And the Jason guy is pretty cute.

But anyway, I tried to watch it again and I couldn't even look at the TV. It was all so awkward.

KeyLimePi · Mar 19, 2008, 06:07 AM

I saw it, and it was pretty painful, but nearly all the sponsor tie-ins that Idol does are painfully bad. The 'Horton Hears a Who' thing last week was about the worst. Part of what made it so bad was how Seacrest mocked the whole process while he was doing it. Unprofessional I think. It's obvious he hates "lowering" himself to do these kinds of things, but you know what...that's the business you're in, so suck it up and do it right.

I think the Idol/iTunes connection makes sense, but hopefully that will be the last "plug" the cast is forced to do this season.

Note: And yes, I watch American Idol and no, I'm not embarrassed about it. Not all reality shows are bad and most are better than the stagnant, canned scripts of sit-coms. But you guys go ahead and keep watching Two And a Half Men and feel superior if that helps.

Tiresias · Mar 19, 2008, 07:29 AM

There are plugs, and then there are plugs.

A graphic with all the important info would have been better.

Eug · Mar 19, 2008, 11:07 AM

Originally Posted by residentEvil

hahaha, you watch american idol.

Heh. That's what I was thinking. That show makes me want to rip my eyes and ears out.

I do applaud it for creating that famously awesome internet phenom though.

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 19, 2008, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

Heh. That's what I was thinking. That show makes me want to rip my eyes and ears out.

You get your copy of Stardust on HD-DVD yet smartypants?

Eug · Mar 19, 2008, 12:24 PM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

You get your copy of Stardust on HD-DVD yet smartypants?

Yep. Good movie too.

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 19, 2008, 01:21 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

Yep. Good movie too.

Case closed.

Dakar the Fourth · Mar 19, 2008, 01:28 PM

Vote for Sanjaya!
yes, I realize this is a different season

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 19, 2008, 02:12 PM

Come to think of it I remember a couple weeks ago Ryan also said "all the songs are available through iTunes" and drunk assed sounding paula said sarcastically "ya, it is very important that you know that".

It also gets worse... go to American Idol: Official FOX Site with your iPhone and they detect it and give you a special splash page to sell you the songs through iTunes instead of taking you directly to the site.

brassplayersrock² · Mar 19, 2008, 02:30 PM

why would anyone care about this? it's just marketing

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 19, 2008, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock²

why would anyone care about this? it's just marketing

Because the way it was presented made the product and Apple look HORRIBLE! It wasn't a simple iPhone ad that ran like any other it was this very forced, non-rehearsed, staged act that even the people involved were trying to show that they are not happy about doing this.

I was sitting at home watching 2 different people selling an iPhone by tapping on the screen when it was OFF knowing they had to do it for a big check they got from Apple.

Since Apple has such great advertising and keeps such close control of everything this seemed very uncharacteristic and worthy more of something from LG or Samsung.

I ask a couple other friends last night if they saw the ad and they said "Oh you mean the one where he made fun of it half way through?"

Trust me, it did way more bad than good.

Chuckit · Mar 19, 2008, 03:36 PM

Yeah, it looked really stupid and wasn't helped by the fact that Seacrest, Paula, Simon and Randy were all blatantly mocking it.

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 19, 2008, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Chuckit

Yeah, it looked really stupid and wasn't helped by the fact that Seacrest, Paula, Simon and Randy were all blatantly mocking it.

I really can't believe Apple would have approved something like that. It feels like the ad sales guy sent them and email last minute and told them what to read. No thought was put into it at all.

To be fair though if everyone would have taken it seriously or tried to make it look natural the message itself wasn't too bad.

0157988944 · Mar 19, 2008, 04:08 PM

Looking at the video, it doesn't look Apple approved at all. It looks to me like they were either having some fun, mocking in-program ads, or that FOX wanted to have it advertised and they didnt like the idea at all. Apple would not have had that type of advertisement, especially on a live show.

0157988944 · Mar 19, 2008, 04:09 PM

If you want to see a REAL in program ad, watch the Biggest Loser. THOSE are cringeworthy ones.

Jawbone54 · Mar 19, 2008, 04:37 PM

Link to the video, anyone?

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 19, 2008, 05:04 PM

It is worse every time. Why couldn't they have at least turned it on!

- - e r i k - - · Mar 19, 2008, 09:28 PM

Originally Posted by Eug

Yep. Good movie too.

Damn straight

- - e r i k - - · Mar 19, 2008, 09:30 PM

Originally Posted by Jawbone54

Link to the video, anyone?

Ugh.... this is allowed on TV over there? Where's that vomit smiley?

Kenneth · Mar 20, 2008, 03:56 AM

Originally Posted by Dakar the Fourth

Vote for Sanjaya!
yes, I realize this is a different season

Bloody awful.

brassplayersrock² · Mar 20, 2008, 04:03 AM

okay, yeah, after actually seeing the video I can see why you are upset about it. thing is though, bad publicity is still publicity.

MacosNerd · Mar 20, 2008, 07:38 AM

I can safely say that I've never watch one episode of American Idol. Nor would I ever subject myself to such crap, so am I upset up about the iphone/American Idol cross promotion. No, who cares, I don't generally care about any promotion, advertising is advertising, I try to ignore it all.

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 20, 2008, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by MacosNerd

I can safely say that I've never watch one episode of American Idol. Nor would I ever subject myself to such crap, so am I upset up about the iphone/American Idol cross promotion. No, who cares, I don't generally care about any promotion, advertising is advertising, I try to ignore it all.

Yet for some reason you were unable to resist this thread

MacosNerd · Mar 20, 2008, 11:17 AM

Yeah, why not.

Atheist · Mar 20, 2008, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

Yet for some reason you were unable to resist this thread

So he can declare how superior he is to those of us that watch it.

MacosNerd · Mar 20, 2008, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Atheist

So he can declare how superior he is to those of us that watch it.

Well that's pretty self-evident without needing to post anything here

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 20, 2008, 02:06 PM

So are we over the whole "OMG you watch American Idol" bit yet? I think more than enough people have pointed out how much cooler they are for not watching it. Sad truth is more of you Americans vote for American Idol than you do for your own president so.... SNAP.

Back on the subject I hope Apple saw how poorly that whole promo went and never do anything like it again. If they do at least more professionally next time.

brassplayersrock² · Mar 20, 2008, 02:10 PM

is there ever a time when you don't try and fit in american bashing swg?

Dakar the Fourth · Mar 20, 2008, 02:11 PM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

Sad truth is more of you Americans vote for American Idol than you do for your own president so.... SNAP.

Yeah, I don't buy it. American Idol may receive more votes, but not more voters.

starman · Mar 20, 2008, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by analogue SPRINKLES

So are we over the whole "OMG you watch American Idol" bit yet? I think more than enough people have pointed out how much cooler they are for not watching it. Sad truth is more of you Americans vote for American Idol than you do for your own president so.... SNAP.

It's called REDIAL.

Double SNAP.

brassplayersrock² · Mar 20, 2008, 02:21 PM

1-800 ~~>
1-900 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 20, 2008, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by starman

It's called REDIAL.

Double SNAP.

Or priorities.

analogue SPRINKLES · Mar 20, 2008, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by brassplayersrock²

is there ever a time when you don't try and fit in american bashing swg?

If I am so set on America bashing why would I watch American Idol?

Is there ever a time where you don't try to start gay related trouble with your first comment of "you still watch it after the stripper got kicked off?"

Mr. Too cool for Idol but not a thread about it on a computer forum.

brassplayersrock² · Mar 20, 2008, 02:49 PM

analogika · Mar 20, 2008, 03:15 PM

Originally Posted by starman

It's called REDIAL.

Double SNAP.

It's called REELECTION.

Triple SNAP.

Eug · Mar 20, 2008, 03:18 PM

You watch American Idol? OMFG!

analogika · Mar 20, 2008, 03:20 PM

I actually did watch portions of the very first season of "Deutschland sucht den Superstar", which is the German franchise of Simon Fuller's Idol.

I lost track after it became apparent how it worked/didn't work.

brassplayersrock² · Mar 20, 2008, 03:26 PM

wrong end eug