Post by Teddy Bear on Apr 12, 2009 20:14:02 GMT
Most responsible companies would decide beforehand whether a particular ad campaign was worthwhile or not. But our screwed up BBC first spends the money to make the ad then decides that the extravagent expense might come under fire so ditches it.
And you are deemed to break the law if you don't give them money.
And you are deemed to break the law if you don't give them money.
BBC blows £700,000 on advert it won't show for fear of 'overspending' complaints
By James Tapper
The BBC has ditched a lavish TV advert for Radio 1 because executives feared it would provoke a public backlash against overspending.
Radio 1’s top DJs including Chris Moyles, Jo Whiley, Scott Mills, Vernon Kay and Sara Cox featured in the three-minute film, which cost an estimated £700,000 and was shot at Pinewood film studios, where blockbusters such as Quantum Of Solace, Mamma Mia! and The Dark Knight were made.
The DJs were said to be dressed in outlandish ‘gothic’ costumes and filmed alongside wild animals for a surreal take on Radio 1, described as ‘magical’ and ‘Harry Potter-esque’ by sources.
Rock band Muse performed music for the video, which had the theme ‘As 1’ to show the DJs and audience coming together as one.
The commercial was due to be aired before EastEnders last month and was even going to be listed as a programme in the BBC’s own magazine, Radio Times.
But bosses decided it was inappropriate to show a film that looked so extravagant and expensive while Britain was deep in recession.
The BBC says it is still deciding what to do with the footage from the Radio 1 advert.
Some of it may be reused in shorter videos later in the year. A source who worked on the advert revealed: ‘It was really quite magical, Harry Potter-esque.
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'The DJs were dressed in gothic clothing and vibrant colours, there were wild animals on the set, people were playing musical instruments. It was a huge deal for everyone.’
A Corporation insider said: ‘I think there was a concern that it looked too pretentious and too long. Three minutes is a long time to sit through a trailer, no matter how good it is.
‘We also have to look at how these things are perceived. How would it look to someone who is facing redundancy?
‘We are moving away from these sort of “concept trails” to “clip trails” which include clips from the programme.
Yesterday a BBC spokeswoman said: ‘The trail appeared in a draft schedule but, as is quite common, changes are made before a schedule is finalised. We work hard to ensure we deliver good value for our marketing spend.’
She refused to say how much the advert cost, but sources in advertising say it would have been up to £700,000 – for facilities, crew, animal hire, costumes, special effects and production time.
The BBC has recently been producing increasingly daring and sophisticated trailers for its shows.
They have included a surreal advert for the Holby City medical drama, which features the show’s stars dressed provocatively, and a promotion for EastEnders in which Barbara Windsor gets a sinister makeover from a robot.
The BBC spent £22.1million making trailers last year – more than a firm such as Debenhams spends on its annual advertising budget. But the Corporation is now cutting its marketing budget of £41million by nearly 25 per cent.
Last night John Beyer of the broadcasting watchdog Mediawatch said: ‘Most licence-fee payers will tolerate cross-promotional advertising because the media is so competitive these days, but to spend all this money and then not to use it seems extraordinary.’
By James Tapper
The BBC has ditched a lavish TV advert for Radio 1 because executives feared it would provoke a public backlash against overspending.
Radio 1’s top DJs including Chris Moyles, Jo Whiley, Scott Mills, Vernon Kay and Sara Cox featured in the three-minute film, which cost an estimated £700,000 and was shot at Pinewood film studios, where blockbusters such as Quantum Of Solace, Mamma Mia! and The Dark Knight were made.
The DJs were said to be dressed in outlandish ‘gothic’ costumes and filmed alongside wild animals for a surreal take on Radio 1, described as ‘magical’ and ‘Harry Potter-esque’ by sources.
Rock band Muse performed music for the video, which had the theme ‘As 1’ to show the DJs and audience coming together as one.
The commercial was due to be aired before EastEnders last month and was even going to be listed as a programme in the BBC’s own magazine, Radio Times.
But bosses decided it was inappropriate to show a film that looked so extravagant and expensive while Britain was deep in recession.
The BBC says it is still deciding what to do with the footage from the Radio 1 advert.
Some of it may be reused in shorter videos later in the year. A source who worked on the advert revealed: ‘It was really quite magical, Harry Potter-esque.
More...Cranford it ain't: First pictures of new BBC drama show they're cutting back on one thing... the costumes
Mastermind muddle as contestant is asked to research his own questions
'The DJs were dressed in gothic clothing and vibrant colours, there were wild animals on the set, people were playing musical instruments. It was a huge deal for everyone.’
A Corporation insider said: ‘I think there was a concern that it looked too pretentious and too long. Three minutes is a long time to sit through a trailer, no matter how good it is.
‘We also have to look at how these things are perceived. How would it look to someone who is facing redundancy?
‘We are moving away from these sort of “concept trails” to “clip trails” which include clips from the programme.
Yesterday a BBC spokeswoman said: ‘The trail appeared in a draft schedule but, as is quite common, changes are made before a schedule is finalised. We work hard to ensure we deliver good value for our marketing spend.’
She refused to say how much the advert cost, but sources in advertising say it would have been up to £700,000 – for facilities, crew, animal hire, costumes, special effects and production time.
The BBC has recently been producing increasingly daring and sophisticated trailers for its shows.
They have included a surreal advert for the Holby City medical drama, which features the show’s stars dressed provocatively, and a promotion for EastEnders in which Barbara Windsor gets a sinister makeover from a robot.
The BBC spent £22.1million making trailers last year – more than a firm such as Debenhams spends on its annual advertising budget. But the Corporation is now cutting its marketing budget of £41million by nearly 25 per cent.
Last night John Beyer of the broadcasting watchdog Mediawatch said: ‘Most licence-fee payers will tolerate cross-promotional advertising because the media is so competitive these days, but to spend all this money and then not to use it seems extraordinary.’