Advertising, ad campaigns, ad agencies, and the people that make it happen

Today’s news that Bell Helicopter's first television spot in its 65-year history will premiere during the Armed Forces Bowl this Saturday on ESPN, had me wondering about two dissimilar, but equally strange, very American aspects of this event. Firstly, I don’t know who Bell’s agency is, and I doubt very much that it was their idea, more than likely it was some PR flack at Bell who after a couple of drinks too many with an ESPN rep was persuaded the football viewing public of America might be in the market for a few helicopters. Yes, I know it’s all about supporting the troops, or even more so giving a boost to the local member of Congress who managed to earmark an extra few billion for the Bell Helicopter plant in his district… But what’s really weird, is just what the heck is “The Bell Helicopter Bowl?” When I first came to America, I think there were three bowl games and they actually had some meaning. Now there are hundreds. So, just like the NBA playoffs, it strikes me as simply another way to extend the season and sell souvenir junk to people who like to paint their bodies, drink gallons of very expensive colored water called light beer, and spend ten times more hours “tailgating” than actually watching the game they are supposedly fans of.

 .