Trust Me – It’s Almost Advertising

It’s rare that a new TV show debuts and I can actually relate to it. Most shows are just entertaining but I could never picture myself in them or say “Hey, that’s like what happened to me today at work.” Last night I watched a show that was pretty darn close to being real when you work in advertising. TNT’s new drama-dy Trust Me with Eric McCormack, from Will and Grace (and no, he’s straight this time around, which is ok but I miss my gay boyfriend) and Tom Cavanaugh, from Ed (think back to the show with the lawyer guy that’s office was a bowling alley – yep, that’s Ed). The show airs Monday nights and depicts a big city advertising agency and the drama that ensues when working on large accounts and office antics too, of course.

TNT most likely is trying to ride on the coat tails of the recent Mad Men fame but brings viewers a current-day ad agency scenario with some more spunk and fun, not to knock Mad Men at all. It’s great TV too. But, even though I did enjoy the one-hour show, I did have one beef with Trust Me. They talked a lot about Super Bowl advertising and an account that they were working on with its ultimate goal being a commercial for the Super Bowl. Now, that’s not an everyday thing – not every account goes straight to the Super Bowl. It’s a lofty goal but not realistic for all advertising, nor is it always the best fit. Sure, everyone would like to see their name in lights and have millions of viewers seeing their spot but are they all really that effective? Do they drive ROI every time, especially when they have those hefty price tags? That’s definitely debatable.

All-in-all though, it was a really enjoyable show and believe me, I watch A LOT of TV so the show has to be worthwhile for me to not ditch and run. I’ll stick with it and see what other fun tips and tricks they throw out there. Oh, and to any agency folks that might be reading this post and do get to chance to see Episode 1, don’t be alarmed by what happens to the Creative Director. It’s Hollywood after all but it did get me thinking that maybe I should limit those OT hours just a smidge and stop and smell a few more roses…

About the Author: Amy Rushia

With nearly ten years experience with online marketing and media placement, Amy brings a wide range of knowledge and expertise to the agency. At Off Madison Ave, Amy oversees the online media planning and buying for a variety of clients, including the Citizens Clean Elections Commission, Macayo’s and the Arizona Federal Credit Union, creating campaigns that best suit each client and their needs, along with testing new techniques and placements to garner the best results. Amy graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona. She holds a minor in Communications.