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Is DirecTV's 'Poltergeist' spot in bad taste?
—Posted by Tim Nudd |
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October 13, 2008 in Controversy, Deutsch, DirecTV, Nudd | Permalink |
Comments
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Creepy? Definitely, if you know O'Rourke has passed. Out of bounds, certainly not. I'm glad that Heather's mother was OK with it.
Posted by: Bryan Price | Oct 13, 2008 5:17:00 PM
I run a fan web site dedicated to all three "Poltergeist" movies, and I think the ad was a great idea. Besides, it focuses more on Craig T. Nelson than on Heather. It would be different if they had featured Heather as Carol Anne talking about how the "Poltergeist Curse" could have been avoided and that she'd still be alive if only the Freelings had been Direct TV subscribers, but that's not what was done.
Also, Heather was about six when she filmed "Poltergeist," and didn't pass away until after she'd completed "Poltergeist III" in 1988 at the age of 12. The makers of that one had to be much more careful with they released that film with how it was marketed. In fact, after she died but before the film was released, MGM decided to re-shoot the ending using a body double stand in for Heather, filmed from the back.
You can read more on that little controversy here:
http://www.poltergeistIII.com/gorezone.html
Posted by: David | Oct 13, 2008 8:51:14 PM
The mother of the child gave approval that the ad be done. She felt it would be a way of honoring her daughter.
Deutsch creative in New York did the ad. His comments can be found here.
http://blog.infinitemonkeysblog.com/?q=node/5642
Scroll down to the producer's comments
Posted by: Jim | Oct 14, 2008 2:23:38 PM
I found it inappropriate, despite what the mother said. It's one thing if the actor in question died of natural causes as an adult, but if you're aware of Heather O'Rourke's tragedy, it overwhelms the message. Will Dominique Dunne be in the next spot?
Posted by: calan | Oct 14, 2008 4:31:09 PM
i have to say i found it pretty creepy. and also quite distracting, which i would think, from a marketing/advertising perspective, is not directv's intention or hope. every time the spot comes on i spend a few seconds thinking, 'that poor girl is dead, why are they using her in this commercial?' is that really what you want your spot to be remembered for?
Posted by: t | Oct 15, 2008 11:02:55 AM
I absolutely found the ad to be offensive and in very poor taste. I have over thirty years in advertising and print publishing and this ad is just beyond the pale.
It's one thing to use a dead adult celebrity like Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly, but it's another thing entirely to use a dead child. You simply don't do it. Nobody in his or her right mind should have signed off on this creative. It's an utterly crass and flagrant exploitation.
Posted by: Jim Collins (AFI) | Oct 15, 2008 11:47:33 PM
I absolutely found the ad to be offensive and in very poor taste. I have over thirty years in advertising and print publishing and this ad is just beyond the pale.
It's one thing to use a dead adult celebrity like Fred Astaire or Gene Kelly, but it's another thing entirely to use a dead child. You simply don't do it. Nobody in his or her right mind should have signed off on this creative. It's an utterly crass and flagrant exploitation.
Posted by: Jim Collins (AFI) | Oct 15, 2008 11:47:34 PM
I bet Deutsch NY wishes they could get press like this. This ad was done in good taste. The LA office rocks..the NY office...not so good and this comes from an ex-deutscher.
Posted by: J-Broccoli | Oct 20, 2008 4:30:32 PM
