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Welcome to Jack's Blog About Commercials I Didn't Fast-Forward Through
Or maybe the rest of the Stay Free team went camping and didn't invite me? Anyway, tonight I fast-forwarded all the way to the end of a commercial, and then went all the way back. Because at the end was the logo for the University of Phoenix, or as I like to call it,
Banner-Ad U. Surely you have seen more than your fair share of Internet advertising for this college offering "web-based education" and 72 "campuses" in 36 states, Canada, and Puerto Rico. (Sorry, irony fans: There is a campus in Phoenix, Arizona.) But this ad was on television. Which I am luddite enough to consider real advertising.
Perhaps equally troubling, the commercial is set to the insanely catchy New Pornographers' song "The Bleeding Heart Show." If America's favorite Canadian indie-pop supergroup had to sell out, did it have to be to the University of Phoenix? Though who knows, perhaps they all hold degrees from the Vancouver or Calgary branches.
My head is still spinning. The U. of Phoenix is gaining students, and I'm losing my faculties.
Posted by Jack Silbert on 01/24/2007 | Permalink
Comments
I used to live in Phoenix, then I moved back to North Carolina, and I really thought this "school" was following me around. Like ECPI, this is just people grasping at straws, but of course, there have to be a few success stories (note the boats and Mercedes in this type of advert). I bet these places know what's the max anyone can borrow on a student loan...then the tuition is just a tad, or wallop, more.
Posted by: chak | Jan 25, 2007 3:21:36 AM
I saw that commercial the other day, but I didn't even realize it was for them because I was too busy enjoying the song and arguing with my roommate, who said it sucked. I hadn't even considered the implications of the Pornographers being in a commercial, but if it means they get more money and a bigger audience and then book a show here in DC...well, I can't really complain then, can I, because I've been dying to see them.
Posted by: Brock | Jan 25, 2007 8:55:18 AM
Huh? What the F are your trying to say?
Posted by: nancyfreeman | Jan 25, 2007 9:17:59 AM
Yesterday I ate a sandwich, but I didn't blog about it.
Posted by: John Byrd | Jan 25, 2007 11:44:59 AM
It's also a little weird that there's a University of Phoenix Stadium, as if the school was a real college with real sports teams. The University of Phoenix simply bought the naming rights to the stadium where the Arizona Cardinals play, like any other company would.
And John, even though you're never going to read this, I would freaking LOVE to hear about your sandwich. I hope it had bacon.
Posted by: carli | Jan 25, 2007 11:50:41 AM
I saw John's blog. He wrote about everything BUT the sandwich.
Posted by: Carl's Jr Cadet | Jan 26, 2007 1:21:52 AM
dammit i want a sandwich. or at least read about someone who had one.
Posted by: | Feb 2, 2007 5:24:15 AM



