Things you can/can not do in television commercials.

[mleach]

Today I was watching TV and noticed all these ads for lawyers. I noticed ALL of them were talking about accidents and such. However I was reading the paper earlier and noticed all these ads for lawyers but they were mainly bankruptcy/divorce lawyers..not so much dealing with car accidents and the like. Then it clicked...I have yet to see an ad for some lawyer advertising his services as far as bankruptcy and divorce goes on television. One would think that in this economy those bankruptcy lawyers would be all over the dial. Are they even allowed to advertise on TV?

What about those slander/deflamation of character cases...can an lawyer advertise that on TV? With Facebook/My Space being so popular, hell even fourms like this one..somewhat surprised some lawyer, someplace hasn't put out an ad like "..has someone lied about you online? YOU CAN SUE !!!" I am NOT saying that I want to see such ads, just wondering if a lawyer can put out such an ad if he/she really wanted too?

What about political ads? Can they be censored by the TV station say for content for example? What if someone running for office decided to call the person running against him in their ad a "God damn Liar", would that be allowed?

Beer? For Years I have been told that one can not be seen actually drinking a beer on TV. Is that still the case?

Naming your competiton in an ad. Of course that is allowed but a few years back I have remembering reading on another site ( maybe it was the old Radio-Info ? ) that it is only the case with commercial products and nothing else. Say for example the city of Indianapolis wanted to buy time on Detroit TV telling people to move to Indianapolis because "..your city stinks and Indianapolis is where the jobs are". Would that be allowed?

In this day and age is there really anything still taboo when it comes to commercials?

 

[KeithE4]

Today I was watching TV and noticed all these ads for lawyers. I noticed ALL of them were talking about accidents and such. However I was reading the paper earlier and noticed all these ads for lawyers but they were mainly bankruptcy/divorce lawyers..not so much dealing with car accidents and the like. Then it clicked...I have yet to see an ad for some lawyer advertising his services as far as bankruptcy and divorce goes on television. One would think that in this economy those bankruptcy lawyers would be all over the dial. Are they even allowed to advertise on TV?

There are ads for bankruptcy services by some of the local shysters in Phoenix.

What about those slander/deflamation of character cases...can an lawyer advertise that on TV? With Facebook/My Space being so popular, hell even fourms like this one..somewhat surprised some lawyer, someplace hasn't put out an ad like "..has someone lied about you online? YOU CAN SUE !!!" I am NOT saying that I want to see such ads, just wondering if a lawyer can put out such an ad if he/she really wanted too?

Thanks a lot for giving them the idea. ;D

What about political ads? Can they be censored by the TV station say for content for example? What if someone running for office decided to call the person running against him in their ad a "God damn Liar", would that be allowed?

We have sources for that already. They're called Fox News Channel and MSNBC.

Beer? For Years I have been told that one can not be seen actually drinking a beer on TV. Is that still the case?

Harry Caray did that in the '70s when he was with the White Sox.

Naming your competiton in an ad. Of course that is allowed but a few years back I have remembering reading on another site ( maybe it was the old Radio-Info ? ) that it is only the case with commercial products and nothing else. Say for example the city of Indianapolis wanted to buy time on Detroit TV telling people to move to Indianapolis because "..your city stinks and Indianapolis is where the jobs are". Would that be allowed?

IIRC, one can be sued for defaming a city. Of course, said city would then have to prove that it doesn't stink and it really does have jobs.

In this day and age is there really anything still taboo when it comes to commercials?

Probably only in cases of nudity or where children are involved.

 

[jal41]

Today I was watching TV and noticed all these ads for lawyers. I noticed ALL of them were talking about accidents and such. However I was reading the paper earlier and noticed all these ads for lawyers but they were mainly bankruptcy/divorce lawyers..not so much dealing with car accidents and the like. Then it clicked...I have yet to see an ad for some lawyer advertising his services as far as bankruptcy and divorce goes on television. One would think that in this economy those bankruptcy lawyers would be all over the dial. Are they even allowed to advertise on TV?

Yes. Given the down economy...lawyer ads appear to be replacing car dealer ads.

What about those slander/deflamation of character cases...can an lawyer advertise that on TV? With Facebook/My Space being so popular, hell even fourms like this one..somewhat surprised some lawyer, someplace hasn't put out an ad like "..has someone lied about you online? YOU CAN SUE !!!" I am NOT saying that I want to see such ads, just wondering if a lawyer can put out such an ad if he/she really wanted too?

Yes, they can. It is called the First Amendment.

Also...they are lawyers...so they can (and do) SUE if anyone tries to infrenge on their rights.

What about political ads? Can they be censored by the TV station say for content for example? What if someone running for office decided to call the person running against him in their ad a "God damn Liar", would that be allowed?

Yes, unless Only if FCC regs are at risk (indencent or obscene), and stations cannot edit it. There was a stink in Atlanta in the 70's, where a segeregionist candidate for office aired an ad with the "n" word. WSB-TV and WXIA refused to air it, and were sued. The candidate (name slips my mind) won.

Beer? For Years I have been told that one can not be seen actually drinking a beer on TV. Is that still the case?

False. People drink beer on TV all of the time.

Naming your competiton in an ad. Of course that is allowed but a few years back I have remembering reading on another site ( maybe it was the old Radio-Info ? ) that it is only the case with commercial products and nothing else. Say for example the city of Indianapolis wanted to buy time on Detroit TV telling people to move to Indianapolis because "..your city stinks and Indianapolis is where the jobs are". Would that be allowed?

Yes...if the TV station didn't have a problem with it. Up to the local station.

In this day and age is there really anything still taboo when it comes to commercials?

If the ad features sex, profanity, racism, or violence, then there would be problems. Cigarette ads and anything else illegal are off limits. Otherwise, it is free rein.

 

[bk77]

Probably only in cases of nudity or where children are involved.

As far as children goes...wasn't the one big reason why the issue of gay marriage failed in California was due to a TV ad featuring a young little girl saying..
"when I grow up..I am going to marry a Princess.." ?

then there was another anti-gay marriage ad I saw on You Tube sometime ago from one of the southern states who had the vote featuring a young little boy and his father.

Boy: Daddy would you tell me the story about the three bears?
Dad: Sure Son..let me tell you about the three bears...

..and out comes three men dressed in leather and chains, smoking cigars with one of those men asking "..are you a top or a bottom ?"

From what I remember reading those ads were produced by Focus On the family.

If those ads actually did air on any local television station, then the act of using children in ads isn't really taboo.

 

[Robnoxious]

A Los Angeles classic lawyer ad that ran ad-nauseum back in the day was the "actual client" that closed the pitch with "Larry H. Parker got me $2.1 MILLION!"

Then, something in the rules changed and it became "Larry H, Parker got me... *you know!* " sometime in the late 80's/early 90's.

Now, Larry H. Parker is retired and merely a spokesperson for the Larry H. Parker Law firm will "FIGHT FOR YOU!"

What does this all mean? I have no idea other than it's probably best NOT to get representation from a firm that advertises on television or the radio. It's sage advice but people still use Check Into Ca$h for money maydays and Ca$hcall for quick loans. Those are the ones the P.T. Barnum's of the world have been soaking for over a century.

The only difference is the amount of really small print at the bottom of the ad or sped-read through (on radio).

 

[sack]

About Beer (the mother of us all).
I remember that advertisers are not allowed to show anyone drinking beer in a commercial,,, drinking on a program is a different story.
It seems kind of absurd. Think of the next civilization that uncovers us, finds all these archives of beer commercials, and believes that by having this can or bottle in your hand makes you beautiful, funny and engaging,,, it must be a GOD! Centuries from now we will be known for worshipping the Beer Gods, and not one person will realize it was a drink.

OK, back to reality.........

 

[fussbudget]

The candidate was J.B. Stoner.

What about political ads? Can they be censored by the TV station say for content for example? What if someone running for office decided to call the person running against him in their ad a "God damn Liar", would that be allowed?

Yes, unless Only if FCC regs are at risk (indencent or obscene), and stations cannot edit it. There was a stink in Atlanta in the 70's, where a segeregionist candidate for office aired an ad with the "n" word. WSB-TV and WXIA refused to air it, and were sued. The candidate (name slips my mind) won.

 

[Otto Maddock]

I remember that advertisers are not allowed to show anyone drinking beer in a commercial,,,

...Reminds me of Rob & Laura Petrie having separate beds.

Speaking of beer commercials and the ban on cigarette ads, is there a similar ban on hard liquor? I don't recall ever seeing a commercial for rum or vodka, etc.

 

[KeithE4]

Speaking of beer commercials and the ban on cigarette ads, is there a similar ban on hard liquor? I don't recall ever seeing a commercial for rum or vodka, etc.

You haven't turned your TV on at all in the last 5 years or so? Maybe you need a little Captain in ya. ;D

 

[LKellerIII]

Speaking of beer commercials and the ban on cigarette ads, is there a similar ban on hard liquor? I don't recall ever seeing a commercial for rum or vodka, etc.

You haven't turned your TV on at all in the last 5 years or so? Maybe you need a little Captain in ya. ;D

Hard liquor commercials are not common, but you do see them. I've always heard that advertisers weren't allowed to show people in commercials actually drinking alcoholic beverages. That's why you always see them standing around talking to friends, being happy, and holding the frosty glass. But actually putting the glass to their lips is a no-no.

It seems to me that's the same silly kind of prohibition (pun intended) as older TV movies that show drug use - they'd have a scene where the characters were going to snort cocaine - the camera would show them chopping it up and making lines, but would cut away for the actually snorting up the nose with the straw part.

As if people can't figure this stuff out on their own...

 

[Tom Wells]

At what point did the showing of an ACTUAL (gasp) TOILET become acceptable?
I remember "bowl cleaner" commercials showing a round toilet-like bowl, because the real thing was considered unacceptable.

I also remember "Bewitched" causing a stir because Darrin and Samantha had a double bed.

 

[Corky Marlowe]

I'd always heard that nobody could be shown actually drinking the product on beer ads...Also, the actor in a typical beer commercial probably wouldn't want to drink it anyway, because isn't beer shown in TV and print ads actually cooking oil with shampoo suds substituting for the head?

On another former taboo, it wasn't till the late 70's that actual live models could be used on bra commercials.