01.23
So, watching a show on one of the History channels. An actual historical discussion of the historical background behind the current belief in the AntiChrist (aka Is the Book of Revelations real?) and prophecy.
(Of course, I say that because it fits my own beliefs about such things. I prefer fact based discussions of religion.)
So… they’ve just gotten to the part where they explain that the current belief in the Anti-Christ is actually based on the ideas of a British traveling preacher from the 19th century that really have no basis in the Christian bible. (Sounds like it’s all just the Christian variety of conspiracy theorists.)
And at that point there’s a 60+ second commercial for some kind of fancy crystal cross for people to buy as a gift – for baptisms, confirmations, etc. and to remind people of their religion.
Sure, that kind of thing happens a lot. Commercials targeting an audience based on the content of a tv show isn’t new. Google does it on the internet even. But when it’s a late night tv show? They almost always seem to get it wrong. The commercials are usually aimed at the people who WOULDN’T watch a show like that. Or who would have changed the channel as soon as they discovered it wasn’t a fanboyish show about their favorite religious topic (As rare as those might be.)
I think it was probably just a coincidence. That “Prayer Cross” add pops up quite regularly, and a majority of the people who call themselves Christians don’t believe the fundamentalist anti-christ, rapture claptrap any more than you do. A lot of mainstream Catholics, or Anglicans, or Presbyterians, or whatever might enjoy that show, and still be interested in buying a cross like that.
A couple of my favourite commercial placements include one from the Tarantino directed CSI episode that had Nick buried alive. Cut from the ants getting into his coffin to… a commercial for Raid ant poison. And then there was the commercial from a company that made headstones, in the middle of a Buffy episode.