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The TV networks learned important lessons from all the years of marketing reality TV. Originally, the reality was supposed to come from ordinary people having genuine, unscripted reactions to highly contrived situations. As reality show franchises are worth millions, the subjects become more professional, the situations more contrived and the material more provocative. The goal too is to push the envelope just enough to inspire a TV morning or late show segment, and audiences to engage, fan, and... More »

The 64th annual Primetime Emmy Awards is going all RED. The 57,600-square-foot space inside the West Hall of the Los Angeles Convention Center is where the ceremony’s “rhapsody in red” dinner party will take place. The photograph you’re looking at is of a table setting seen inside the Emmy Awards Governors Ball preview at the Los Angeles Convention Center on Sept. 19, 2012.   The party extravaganza will be almost entirely be decked out in rosy colors. A giant rose-shaped... More »

After a 10- year run, neither ‘The Bachelor‘ nor ‘The Bachelorette‘ has yet to feature a Black, Latino or Asian person. In the 16 seasons of ‘The Bachelor’ and seven of ‘The Bachelorette’ only 16 were Black out of a collective total of 610 contestants, and none were selected for the lead. According to black football players Nathaniel Claybrooks and Christopher Johnson who had tried out for “The Bachelor,” ABC has intentionally excluded non-whites from the... More »

In the February 27th episode of The Bachelor, we viewed a sneak peek of the upcoming season of The Bachelorette, starring Emily Maynard. Analogous to Sex in the City, the bachelorette trio Emily Maynard, Ali Fedotowsky and Ashley Hebert met for a styling and beauty session in Los Angeles. With roses and date cards, the girls sail off in chic dresses for a private viewing of the movie “Titanic 3D,” the 3-D conversion of James Cameron’s 1997 epic. Similar to how the ladies of Sex and... More »

Oscar Fierro - who was saved last week – was eliminated this Tuesday in this second episode of NBC’s Fashion Star. Celebrity mentors – Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and John Varvatos - were not impressed by what Fierro showed on the runway. “You know last week when we saved you, we really thought that there was something much deeper in there. I’m very disappointed. Those dresses, they’re like 4AM… and they’re hoochie,” Varvatos said.   Defending the “hoochie” customer,... More »

Is The Bachelor good for self marketing? According to Jeff Beals, author of Self Marketing Power: Branding Yourself As a Business of One, in a competitive, global economy, you need to stand out. Marketing is a powerful and essential tool. Corporations spend millions and millions of dollars on marketing efforts to create a brand, build brand awareness, and promote products and services.   As important is self marketing to find a job, enhance your social network, and expand your Web presence.... More »

What does it take to be a fashion icon? This is how the show Fashion Star works. Designers present three pieces in fashion shows every show based on a branding exercise.  Then, mentors Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie, and John Varvatos offer their feedback ~ likes, dislikes, etc. The bottom line: fashion is business, and it boils down to what sells. Retail executives from three retailers -  Macy’s Caprice Willard, Saks Fifth Avenue‘s Terron E. Schaefer, and H&M‘s Nicole Christie ... More »

Advertising during the Super Bowl was almost double the cost of the Oscars. The cost of a 30 second spot during the Super Bowl was $3.5 million, compared to the Oscars at $1.7. Were Oscar advertising spots a better deal? In general, there is a big variation in pricing of commercials on national television depending on market size, available airtime, and demand for that specialized channel. According to Advertising Age, the average cost is over $130,000 for a national spot. That’s not a lot... More »