Apparently, even in fictional Lake Wobegon, they're worried about gas prices. When Land's End, a 17-year sponsor of the "A Prairie Home Companion" radio program, dropped out last summer, Toyota signed up as a major sponsor and underwriter. The reason, according to "Prairie Home" producer Tony Judge, is that the car manufacturer believes "Prairie Home" listeners will be interested in the company's hybrid automobiles, which run on a combination of gas and electricity. (Comment from Toyota was not available Monday.) In return for the sponsorship, which began last month, Toyota gets mentions during the show and on the "Prairie Home" Web site. — Chris Hewitt, St. Paul Pioneer Press, 11/15/05
Incredibly good move by Toyota. Prarie Home Companion is a show (not my cup of tea) that gets lots of viewers in the exact demographic that Toyota wants... middle-america and hmmm... apparently over 4 million listeners worldwide! I'm not a big fan of product placements, but I do *so* love my Prius... and it does sound like Toyota did do this at a fortuitous time for the radio show, so maybe that offsets the blatant commercialism
At least PHC makes product placement fun! I haven't caught the show in a few weeks, so I haven't heard the Toyota mentions. But if Garrison & Co make the hybrid spots anything like the Ketchup Advisory Board, it'll be a hoot. Hopefully, it won't be limited to a "brought to you by...", like the Land's End spots.
I've heard some broadcasts of PHC since Toyota started this sponsorship, and it is limited to the "Brought to you by Toyota, makers of the HSD, etc etc". Still a nice ad buy, though. Toyota has been sponsoring "Antique Roadshow" for some time, IIRC, with that catchy "It's a beautiful day" spot
Viewers? Maybe that's why its not "your cup of tea". Its on RADIO. You know, that box that sets in a living room and everyone gathers around and listens to. I know its kind of a hard concept to grasp. You have to be quiet and not talk (like people "watching" tv do) because there is no picture and if you miss what is being said you loose. </sacarsm> Seriously, I don't listen to it often either but having grown up in the era of "The Shadow", "Captian Midnight", "The Green Hornet", "Gangbusters", and "The Jack Benny Show" it's kind of nice to hear a real "live" entertainment style radio program once in a while.
We love Prairie Home Companion! But how will Norwegian Bachelor farmers justify being frugal and purchasing a hybrid "stealth" hay combine? It will be fun to listen how Toyota is slipped into advertisements and songs for duct tape, powdermilk biscuits and Bertha's Kitty Botique heater cats.
Fictional??? Cripes.... and I trusted them. I'm going home for a ketchup fix. Okay, seriously, I have heard lots of Toyota hybrid commericals on NPR lately. Now I feel even more hipper than before.
Okay, top this one... "The Buster Brown SHow". Where did Buster live and, what was the dog's name? (No fair Googling for the answers.) h34r:
