Target Marker

Are my favorite reality series nothing but a series of commercials??

Undoubtedly, yes. Do I continue to watch? Again, yes. Always. However, this week while watching America's Next Top Model, I thought I'd try to pay closer attention to just what target market category I fell into, rather than fast forwarding through the commercials as I usually do.

The show began with an ad telling me “if you love to hate Domanique on America's Next Top Model, then you’ll REALLY love Farmer Wants a Wife's Josie!!” Lovely way to begin the evening of television viewing. I DO love to hate Dominique, so maybe i WOULD like this newest...no! No, no, no!! I don't want to be that target audience...what does that say about my viewing choices? It's kind of like when Amazon.com told me that based on my recent purchases I might also like the movie Crash. So my night began with a bitter taste in my mouth. But, it has to get better, right?

As the show continued, I began to forget about the commercials (after awhile I can't even consciously see the Cover Girl or Dove adds, and they all just blend together). Once again, I was swept up in the drama of the show. I also made an interesting discovery: Anya, the winner of this week's meet-and-greet challenge, the one who speaks with some odd, indiscernible accent, is the human version of my little dog. She's also my new pick for this cycle's winner, since her photos keep getting better, the judges (especially Nigel) love her, and she's just dumb/happy enough to be a total crowd pleaser in the fashion industry.

As her prize for winning the challenge, she got yet another private photo shoot and $10,000 from 7up (could it be that even when I skip the ads, I can't really get away from the advertising? I'm beginning to think that maybe Tyra and Cover Girl don't just have my entertainment and making some girl's dreams come true on their minds...). Not too shabby, Anya! I want $10,000! Maybe I too could be America's next top model...or, at least I could purchase some 7up. It's super fresh! :)

Anyway, back to the drama: Fatima didn't have the proper travel documents and spent most of the episode freaking out about this and then ended up missing the photo shoot--the thing that pretty much determines (along with the challenge) who goes home that week. Really, Fatima? You can't make sure you are able to do the one thing you have to do on this ridiculous not challenging at all reality series? And why not tell the good people at ANTM that you need said documents? Maybe the producers of the show or one of its many powerful sponsors (Cover Girl!!) could help you out? Get their people on the case? You have Tyra Banks on your side! She can do ANYTHING! And, so can you, as a Cover Girl! But what you can't do is leave home without your gloss...wait, what was I talking about?

Don't worry, though, folks, Fatima was not eliminated in this round. In fact, she beat out Stacy-Ann with with a blank photo. So, sorry, Stacy-Ann, you’re worse than nothing. Don’t be mad, k? but…we picked the girl who didn’t even show up and had no photo. Sorry again! But seriously, you should keep buying Cover Girl and keep reaching for those stars.

The remaining six girls got to hop on the private plane waiting for them at the shoot…not! The judges are already stars, said Tyra, so they travel first class on a private jet. The girls had to fly on a commercial flight…hahahahaha SUCKERS! And so our show comes to an end. But wait! The worst commercial of all, the one which might actually make me rethink being the "kind of lady" who watches this show every week, came right before the photo shoot, immediately following Fatima complaining about not having her documents (while standing, by the way, in front of a hand written sign that said "Please put dishes in sink--no pots and pans! :) ), featured the winner of last season's cycle, Saleisha (who?).

She began by saying: “I’ve never voted before, never even thought of it.” Wait--what? You've never even thought about it??
After Meredith Wagner of Lifetime: Television for Women (who?) informed Saleisha, and me, that during the last presidential election, 35 million women who were eligible to vote didn’t, Saleisha remarked that as a young woman (who wears Cover Girl) her voice really does count. Wow! I guess maybe mine does too...naw, I'll just continue to not even think about it until I'm also a model. Immediately following this ad, Drew Barrymore (another role model!) told us the season’s new make up trends.

Have a great time in Rome girls! I'll see you next week!

This entry was posted by Brigitte, on Thursday, April 17, 2008. You can leave your response.