Is TBS riffing off Pop-Up Video?

// June 6th, 2004 //

Atlanta’s TBS, the home of Braves games, James Bond marathons and Dinner and a Movie, changed directions on Friday.

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Problem is, their new graphic design bears a more than eerie resemblance to the poppy, peppy and clean design of VH1′s Pop-Up Video. The companion advertising campaign, as Ad Week tells us, means to position the station as a premium comedy choice for cable-surfing couch rats. From UPI, some more detail:

The on-air promos depict a call center where operators are busy fielding telephone inquiries from people at various workplaces, describing something a co-worker has done and asking whether it is funny. The operators ask questions while inputting the data on computers, and come back with decisions on what is funny and what is not.

[Steven Koonin, EVP and COO of TBS] said the ads promote the idea that TBS is “the epicenter of funny.”

That’s the goal? Built on repeats of Seinfeld, Home Improvement and Everybody Loves Raymond? They’re all successful and funny shows, but even with a remake of Gilligan’s Island, TBS can only promise mild tremors, not earth-shattering humour.

The concept will officially jump the shark the day the TBS schedule features more than one cast member from Full House. Or Carrottop.

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