Fun or Lame: Fox's 'Bones' Becomes One Big 'Avatar' Promo
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Fandom, 20th Century Fox, Movie Marketing, Fan Rant
I'm pretty easygoing when it comes to marketing and product placement. It's so ubiquitous that I tune it out, or laugh along when it shows up on 30 Rock. I can never really muster up the rage some viewers do when Pizza Hut, Ford, or the iPhone is prominently placed in a movie or television show. The most I'll do is roll my eyes and joke about it later on ("Did you notice that? Lame!"), because I find the big picture to be more important than some high-priced props. That is, I didn't care until Fox proudly announced that Bones will return in two weeks with an Avatar themed episode. (The promo is embedded below the jump for the curious and eager.)
Look, I get why Fox would think this was a slamdunk. It's on their network, and one of Bones' recurring cast members, Joel Moore, is actually in Avatar. I understand that the combination makes the December 3 episode of Bones prime advertising real estate. But come on! Can't you just run some flashy commercials, a new trailer, or "a special behind-the-scenes look" like you did with films back during the good old days? Doesn't anyone at 20th Century Fox wonder if it doesn't look a little desperate to coerce an entire show into the PR game? After all, Avatar was supposed to sell itself purely on the photo-real effects, the world of Pandora, and the name of James Cameron. Why do they need Bones?
On some level, I think it even works against the Avatar selling points. The lure of Avatar is the photo-real technology, and how easily you're going to be sucked into a 3D Pandora. Having one of your cast members go meta, and line up for his own movie seems to defeat that a little. Perhaps that's the point, and the crossover is Fox saying "We're so confident in the experience that we can show the man behind the curtain!"
But those are nitpicks, really. My problem is that an entire episode of one of my favorite shows is being hammered into a clumsy commercial. And boy, is it clumsy. You have characters saying "This is more than a movie!" while standing in front of Avatar posters, and lining up for tickets alongside people painted as Na'vi:
Lest you think I'm just an Avatar hater, think about it from another angle. If House had themed an entire episode around characters from X-Men Origins: Wolverine? What if Bones had chosen to tie an episode around Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian? What if The Simpsons had met the characters of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs? Wouldn't you think to yourself "Man, that really takes me out of my favorite show" and "How desperate are they?" I don't really care what movie it is, it's still annoying. You're destroying the illusion I've built around these characters.
In the context of Avatar, it's just makes that question mark hovering above it a little bit bigger. It's natural that they're selling it as an experience, but I really hate the way they're going about it. Look at this Bones episode a little more closely. They're trying to tell me that people are already making Na'vi costumes and are sleeping in tents outside of multiplexes. It's like a big elbow in the ribs that if I'm not on board, sacrificing my sleep and my hygeine for prime seating, there's something deeply wrong with me. I must be out of the loop. But considering I've overheard people looking at the poster and saying "Is that Angelina Jolie or something?", I'm not so sure that's the message they want to send.
But hey, just to show my nice side, I wouldn't have had a problem with an Avatar episode that truly tapped into the zeitgeist. Have Dr. Brennan be called in to examine a corpse found sitting at his / her laptop. When her Jeffersonian lackeys call up the computer's browser history, they'll find that their innocent victim was arguing about Avatar on IMDB. Were they murdered as a result of Avatar fandom? The plot thickens! Now that's the kind of tie-in I could get behind, and laugh about.
In the context of Avatar, it's just makes that question mark hovering above it a little bit bigger. It's natural that they're selling it as an experience, but I really hate the way they're going about it. Look at this Bones episode a little more closely. They're trying to tell me that people are already making Na'vi costumes and are sleeping in tents outside of multiplexes. It's like a big elbow in the ribs that if I'm not on board, sacrificing my sleep and my hygeine for prime seating, there's something deeply wrong with me. I must be out of the loop. But considering I've overheard people looking at the poster and saying "Is that Angelina Jolie or something?", I'm not so sure that's the message they want to send.
But hey, just to show my nice side, I wouldn't have had a problem with an Avatar episode that truly tapped into the zeitgeist. Have Dr. Brennan be called in to examine a corpse found sitting at his / her laptop. When her Jeffersonian lackeys call up the computer's browser history, they'll find that their innocent victim was arguing about Avatar on IMDB. Were they murdered as a result of Avatar fandom? The plot thickens! Now that's the kind of tie-in I could get behind, and laugh about.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
11-20-2009 @ 11:54AM
jc1952 said...
I think that the Avatar centered show will work in Bones favor. For instance, I have never watched Bones, but now I will on December 3 just to see how they tie Avatar into the plot of the show. Since I am already interested in the movie, I'll take a look at your show, Bones. Otherwise, Bones would never see me watching it.
So maybe Fox is accomplishing two missions with one "promotional" show. Not only are they 'placing' an advertisement for Avatar, they are promoting Bones. Maybe this Avatar show will help your Bones stay alive longer by bringing in more viewers. Hey, a lot of Avatar folks might like it and and add it to their TV viewing lineup.
Just saying.......... it might be a really good move..... even for you.......
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11-20-2009 @ 1:35PM
Tucker said...
If you're only going to look at a TV show because it has a tie-in to a movie that hasn't been released, you've never seen, and just about only exists at all because James Cameron "insists" it will be the "greatest thing evar!!!1," then I think you really need to re-evaluate how you experience media.
11-20-2009 @ 2:28PM
jc1952 said...
Tucker,
You sound angry.....why?
Your rambling rant about my comment is full of inaccurate assumptions:
"look(ing) at a TV show because it has a tie-in to a movie that hasn't been released, you've never seen, and just about only exists at all because James Cameron "insists" it will be the "greatest thing evar!!!1," then I think you really need to re-evaluate how you experience media"
is misplaced AND inappropriate.
I merely stated my opinion and perspective on the placement of a movie advert in a TV show that may, or may not, interest me. I don't watch anything because someone tells me it will be great. Nor do I not watch something because someone tells me it will be bad. I am interested in Avatar because I love sci-fi and Cameron's movies have all been very entertaining trips to the theater for me.
I am especially interested in seeing the entire Avatar movie because I attended the 15 minute Avatar Day preview and the FOOTAGE WAS SPECTACULAR!! It was more like a trip to another planet than a mundane night at the movies.
If watching the Bones show (with the Avatar placement ad in it) is fun, informative, entertaining (whatever), I may add it to my TV viewing list. Period.
My comments were in response to Elisabeth Rappe, the author of this article, narrowly focused on how the marketing of Avatar in the midst of a Bones show could, in fact benefit Bones (a show she apparently likes), instead of detracting from it. However, none of us will know for sure until we see it.
Bottom line, what the heck are you talking about with the incomprehensible statement:
" then I think you really need to re-evaluate how you experience media"??
AND WHY ARE YOU ANGRY about my opinion?
*Talk about SOMEONE WHO REALLY NEEDS TO RE-EVALUATE SOMETHING*..... like how you reply to someone you don't know online.....thinking through issues before you start ranting...... and developing your own ideas before attacking others with no (or an irrational) foundation...... *IT IS YOU*
11-20-2009 @ 12:28PM
Ben said...
Elisabeth,
I think you should write another article after you've seen the show. Let us know if your expectations were met by the episode or if it turned out different than you thought.
Also, keep in mind that the nature of advertising is changing. People who us a DVR/TIVO and skip all the commercials are costing the tv companies money. It works great for us, but remember that tv shows are just bait for the advertising.
These companies are trying to find a new way to advertise that can't be skipped. I think we'll find them a little ham-fisted at first, but given a little time, it'll be just like subliminal messaging. We won't even know why we had the compulsion to drive to the store in the middle of the night for a box of Hot Pockets and Listerine.
In fact, that could be another idea for a series. Find these types of episodes and dig into whether that advert worked with the show or if it took you out of it. Was it entertaining, was it persuasive? Just a thought.
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11-20-2009 @ 2:42PM
nerdgurl said...
Bones is a very silly show, so I won't really mind. But I doubt it will make me watch Avatar.
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11-20-2009 @ 2:15PM
dogcow said...
Tacky.
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11-20-2009 @ 2:50PM
Temp said...
I could bee funny spin off. Lets see it first and that decide.
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11-20-2009 @ 3:23PM
Pingles said...
I think the fact that the main characters on Bones are "nerds" gives them a great tie-in to the subject matter.
Do I wish it the storyline wasn't bought-and-paid-for?
Yes.
Do I think the episode might still work?
Yes.
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11-20-2009 @ 5:30PM
Sam said...
Despite what the loud minority may say, people are pretty excited about Avatar.
It seems like those who are firmly in the "Avatar is going to suck because it's being hyped up too much" camp aren't going to like the move simply because it's Avatar.
"A Night at the Museum" or "X-men Origins" themed shows *might* work, perhaps not with Bones in the case of the former and with the latter the movie never looked that good to begin with so those two examples aren't the best.
As someone said earlier the shows protagonists are nerds and as far as I can tell the movie is something of a backdrop, not something dealing with the main storyline. Could be wrong and I won't know until I see the show.
I actually like Bones but I haven't seen every ep since it came out as the procedural aspect starts to get tired after awhile (although Michaela Conlin does not) but I'll check this one out for a minute.
As stated in a previous post it could actually serve to help Bones attract some new viewers too but I don't see how someone could be annoyed with it unless they just don't like the movie, as it seems the writer doesn't. It's the perfect time and the perfect show to do this with (if they were going to do it at all, that is).
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11-28-2009 @ 10:17PM
Christina said...
About it being too procedural...
Really? I actually think it's one of the most non-procedural procedurals out there, in terms of the crimes, cases, etc. :-) I think it's a lot more light-hearted and character-driven than most shows in its genre.
11-22-2009 @ 5:55PM
Alex said...
The thing I don't like is the way they treat the gaming culture in the episode.
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11-20-2009 @ 8:46PM
Wayne said...
I hate seeing Moore cast in anything. He is so ugly that he's memorable and he immediately takes you out of the scene. He'll always be the "Their my minutes and I'm keeping them" guy from the AT&T Wireless commercial to me. Every time I see him I think of that ad. Dodgeball, Grandma's Boy, Bones, Avatar... all of them. The fact that he's in Avatar makes me want to see it less than I already did from the trailers.
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11-20-2009 @ 8:46PM
Wayne said...
"They're". Sheesh... should have proof read.
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11-20-2009 @ 9:02PM
cosmos said...
Bones is still being made? It's the thing with David Boreanaz right?
Regardless of the level of hysteria the Internet display, the majority of the ordinary person on the street doesn't know much (if anything at all) about Avatar.
The first time some of my family had heard about it was via a trailer with 2012 the other day, so it's not surprising Fox are going to have to start putting it about a bit more.
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11-28-2009 @ 10:07PM
Christina said...
Yes, Bones is still being made. It's already been renewed for 2 more seasons, meaning we'll probably get 6 or more seasons.
As a fan of Bones, I really just think it's funny to have the character Moore plays go see the movie. I don't really think much of it.
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11-28-2009 @ 11:18PM
Sam said...
I like the dynamic between Booth and Brennan but the whole "will they or won't they get together" storyline is only ever hinted at near the end of each episode. It doesn't make me too mad but it can get annoying (in a good way I guess, if that makes any sense).
I was speaking more to the "found some remains. investigate. follow leads. solve the case. Booth and Brennan almost kiss/have a moment where they connect. end of episode" nature of the show.
Like I said before though I can't remember if I've ever caught more than 2 episodes in succession so I couldn't say if this'll get on my nerves as much as some other procedural shows eventually do but judging from what you've said, perhaps it's not that bad. I only catch the few episodes that I'm home to watch before Fringe comes on and then the TNT reruns. It certainly seems like a show that I could get into but I can't really go back to catch up on it from the first season right now.
11-28-2009 @ 11:19PM
Sam said...
Regarding the above post, sorry for replying to the wrong comment.
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12-03-2009 @ 11:32PM
sounddweeb said...
1. Bones is one of my favorite shows. I rarely miss an episode.
2. This Avatar tie-in was done SO poorly that I could only endure 22 minutes of the episode.
3. I accept product placement, but this was embarrassing in its lameness.
4. When a Bones fan chooses a rerun of a different series to a first-run episode of Bones, something has gone horribly wrong.
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12-04-2009 @ 12:15AM
Sam said...
To be fair the Avatar thing was a bit of a side story. At least it didn't directly tie into the main plot. I did think that it was poorly implemented though and performed more than a few eye-rolls. Who you gonna blame for that though? I'm sure the studio knew about this episode for a little while now.
As for the watching a rerun of another show, you might be takin' yourself too seriously. As well as this whole situation. Write it off as a bad episode I guess.
12-14-2009 @ 11:33AM
John Doom said...
Only just watched this ep, and it broke my heart. It's really terrible. If it was 'just' product placement, fine, but they have the characters that fans of the show know well saying ludicrous, out-of-character things like "Man, I just don't know where reality ends and CG begins when I look at the trailer" (words to that effect). Which aside from being a gross, blatant waste of dialogue, is just completely untrue to anyone who has seen the damn Avatar trailer. Clue: the CG bits are the plasticky blue creatures flying around on the dragon eagle things.
Synchronistic/synergistic/whatever other buzzword advertising is everywhere and mostly I couldn't care less. But this is a new low - taking a relatively smart, well-written, self-aware show and reducing it to a commercial for something else shows complete disrespect for the fans of the show, and the dumb shoehorning manner in which it was done here just shows utter laziness by everyone involved. The idea that their audience is stupid and sheeplike enough to swallow this twaddle is something I would rarely have accused this show of espousing before (yes, there've been dodgy episodes, but mostly it's an intriguing procedural with some snappy dialogue and nice characterisation), but this episode just made me angry, then sad, then made me feel stupid for having expected more.
Yes, Fox, that's what happens. It turned me (further) off (Fox's) Avatar, AND made me question my fondness for a (Fox) show I had previously enjoyed with no qualms.
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