Chuck Exists Only To Sell Subway Sandwiches
Last month TV comedy Chuck had that Subway sandwich product placement that was so laughably flagrant we thought, “This will surely hurt the credibility of ‘Chuck!’” How young and naive we were. Turns out that that Subway deal is literally the only reason that Chuck still exists:
The special sponsorship with Subway is enabling [its US network] NBC to bring back the series, executives said, in a deal they described as made possible by a decision to go to advertisers earlier than usual in what NBC called the “infront,” to ask for ideas about interweaving brands into shows.
You read that correctly: the fucking Subway product placement is enabling this show to be on TV, period. All the other stuff in there is just extra low fat mayo. How hardcore is NBC willing to get here? Hardcore to the bone:
“Chuck” appealed to Subway for reasons that included its audience, which is mostly the type of younger consumer that buys a lot of subs at malls. The show takes place in a mall, and Chuck’s girlfriend, Sarah, is a C.I.A. agent who works under cover at various stands in the food court.
It is no great leap to believe she could be selling Subway sandwiches next season. An NBC executive said discussions have been under way about the specifics of the tie-in.
We hope you’re very happy about the success of your “Buy a Subway Sandwich to Save ‘Chuck!’” campaign now. Sandwich whores.
[NYT]
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
@Fry_Bread_Power: Pretty sure Subway is a subsidiary of the Sheinhardt Wig Company, so yes.
Arceus
@DahlELama: You're a patron of the arts and a humanitarian.
Treeless
@RhymingName: If I have to eat a subway sandwich every time a new episode of Chuck is on, I will do it. Actually, I'll just buy the sandwich, not eat it. But I'll pay five bucks an episode. Okay, NBC?
I won't be surprised if Ben Silverman now shows up at my door asking for the money.
@Gunsetpark: I always found it overly precious; a bad combination of Ed and Jake 2.0.
@OMG! Ponies!: There must be regulations against that. Gotta be.
@Cheap Shot: All in the Family was created by La-Z-boy to sell chairs.
Cheruth
"John and Kate Plus Eight" brought to you by Trojan
"Flavor of Love" brought to you by Valtrex
"Glenn Beck" brought to you by (and live from!) the local insane asylum
@valet_of_the_dolls: exactly. transformers, gi joe, TMNT...those (and others im sure) were toys well before they were tv shows. though TMNT did at least have a comic book before the toys. though the tv show only popped up to sell the toys.
@Gunsetpark: Nope. I can't even get past the name.
@Cheap Shot: Wasn't Hasbro doing this all through the late seventies/early eighties?
@Gunsetpark: No.
What if in the future they create shows AROUND the product. Like, "We have these new frozen sandwiches, I got it... Antarctica, eskimos and scientists join forces to create the ultimate sub zero food!"
@blix: ...little GFE with the pepperoni?
Am I the only person that can't stand this show?
I hope they start selling a ground chuck sandwich.
eeeeeehhhh...
This in no way bothers me. I have no compunction about being a corporate whore, as long as it keeps my favorite shows on the TeeVee. If taking tons and tons of Vicodin is what it takes to keep House on the air, then gosh darnit, I'll do it.
DahlELama
@m4ximusprim3: Scoff if you will; I wouldn't be surprised if they started concocting diagnoses and then prescribed namebrand drugs to treat the condition.
And I wouldn't put it past the likes of Pfizer to do it.
"ideas about interweaving brands into shows"
Oh, like when Fred Flinstone or Lucy Arnez would smoke during the commercial breaks of their shows?
choinski
Considering The Biggest Loser also markets Subway, I'm beginning to wonder if NBC's sole purpose is to sell Subway sandwiches.
I'm more like a pizza prostitute.
it might be fun for chuck to break out in the whole 'five, five dolla" jingle.
Boy, I can't wait for the next season of "Pfizer's Cholestra presents: House"!
m4ximusprim3
Was Ovaltine too good to sponsor Privileged?
I bought a subway sandwich for lunch the day after Chuck was renewed. AND I LIKED IT.
ah TV like it used to be. we have come full circle.
gooshwa
Jarred is going to be so pissed he wasn't asked to play 'Chuck'.
One of the great joys of Chuck is the parody names they use for their fictitious world - Best Buy becomes the Buy More, Geek Squad becomes the Nerd Herd, and Pink Berry / Red Mango becomes Orange Orange - and the detail that the set / costume designers use to make those ficticious worlds real. (The Kelly Wearstler knockoff of the Viceroy for Sarah's apartment was genius). Using an actual chain will ruin that dynamic. I don't mind them eating a sandwich every episode, or having a cup with the Subway logo full frame once an episode if it keeps the show on the air, but I hope they will think better of using a Subway store as a location.
VeasnaDione
@Cheruth: Nice!
I must be one of the few people who is not influenced at all by product endorsements in television and movies. I can't remember the last time that I went to the store or to a fast food restaurant based only on the fact that a television character eats or drinks there.
But since these kinds of deals keep happening, I'm going to assume the rest of you are mindless sheep. Bravo!
P.S. I love Subway and I love Chuck, so I love this.
@"soap opera." And that goes for all of you decrying this kind of marketing.
Mah boy Ron and I are gonna save The Show About Pretty Spies and the homeless!
@Dianora: I can almost guarantee that she will be.
wait, wait, wait - if this is possible, then it it possible to get a show on starring the HAL channelling homoerotic toaster from the quizno's commercial as well, maybe solving crimes with the help of his hunky assistant steve or dave or whatever?
The Boulevard of Broken Queens
Poor, naive, little petal flower - who did you think was paying for these shows in the first place? If sandwiches are hard-core, I fear for your future.
GladysDemonassa
@DahlELama: Absolutely! I mean, if you aren't used to product placement by now (Uh ET was how many years ago?) then go back to your knitting.
And, I really liked Chuck, so yay!
@JesseJb: My Name is Earl got canceled, so I'm guessing no.
DahlELama
@seyswho:
"Glenn Beck" brought to you by PREPARATION H
Exclamation Mark Violation
Hey, whatever keeps the show on the air. It bugs me that it has to be this way, but if the alternative is a cancellation, I am ok with it.
PierceLaodamas
I hope they're selling something, because they're not for shit as a television program.
SultanaEleusis
@kimsama: Yes!
@blix: even a 'ho's gotta eat.
@RhymingName: I am on my way to buy a Subway sandwich and give it to a deserving homeless person. Vive le "Chuck"!
If Subway is willing to pony up the dough for a show I love, I'll take it.
I spent hours trying to figure out why someone would carry food that way, on their arm -- it was hilarious!
And I think having her work at Subway would be awesome for the show. There's probably a lot they mine from that. One of the best moments this season was the showdown with the faux-FootLocker guys. They could probably make this show a total brand whorehouse, and get lots of great content out of it.
Who watches this show? The same retards that are keeping My Name is Earl on the air?
well, I was curious what the impact of the DVR/Tivo was, and here it is - reliance on in-show product endorsement for hour long dramas, and variety shows at 10 so that when you've finished watching your 9pm show at 10:25pm you can jump right in. They're called soap operas for a reason... :)
@DenOfEvil: First of all, there's a ton of money in depression meds. All those state institutions buy meds - like atypical antipsychotics.
Second, on House, it's always something minor that leads to the nastiness. Someone might show up with seizures, palsy, paralysis and bloody stools, but it winds up being something benign like esophogeal erosions.
A little Nexium will fix them right up.
Subway completely sucks. I don't know about Chuck but now that he's whoring for Subway I guess I'll never find out.
I await the debut of high-school reality breakout "Quiz? No!"
GORDONGARTRELLE
@choinski: But it's FUN to pretend that this kind of corporate sponsorship has NEVER happened before! How else can we foment snarky outrage?
Dianora
As a fan of "Chuck," I couldn't care less if Sarah starts working at Subway on the show. The rest of the show is what matters. All this is simply the result of a successful fan campaign. If it means 13 more hours of "Chuck" and less "Deal or No Deal," I'm all for it.
Dianora
@Arceus: All in the Family is sitcom from the 70s not a soap. I was just kidding it wasn't made to sell chairs it just has a famous chair. Its in the Smithsonian.
Cheruth
@Gunsetpark: I hated it until this season -- I caught the last 6 episodes and they are amazingly good.
@Gunsetpark: Rest assured - all the big money-maker drugs are for chronic or far milder syndromes than will work on House. House is way too dramatic for whatever antacid/erectile dysfunction/depression stuff they're totting on tv.
DenOfEvil
@putch: Also, all of those cartoons (not to mention He-Man, She-Ra Princess of Power, and Thundercats)were awesome. Without product placement my childhood would have been sad and lonely.
Cheruth
@Cheruth: Look up the etymology of the term "soap opera".
Arceus
@RhymingName: Why does that Katy Perry song start playing in my head automatically whenever I read the phrase "and I liked it" these days? It's so... Pavlovian. Sigh.
Arceus
@Gunsetpark: I like "Chuck." It's not going to win any awards, but like the parodies within. Plus, I'm a sucker for Sarah.
rustneversleeps
@croush1211: nobody thinks that they are influenced by product endorsements. They are meant to increase brand recognition and awareness, not to drag you by the collar to the local eatery. But congrats on your amazingly misguided sense of superiority.
seattleperson
@Gunsetpark:
