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Sling TV Targets NBC After Stations Refuse to Run Ads (Here’s the Video)

Aug 3, 2015  •  Post A Comment

Dish’s Sling TV service is ratcheting up the pressure on NBC after network-owned stations reportedly refused to air ads for the service.

Sling TV CEO Roger Lynch appears in a new clip introducing the company’s ads, where he aims his comments squarely at NBC and its owner Comcast, making the point that stations owned by ABC, CBS and Fox are airing the ads. Lynch has also noted that independent NBC affiliates are running the ads, while NBC-owned stations in San Diego, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., have rejected them.

Lynch discusses the situation in a blog post, calling NBC owner Comcast “the standard bearer for ‘Old TV’ in the U.S.” One of the ads at the center of the campaign characterizes traditional TV providers as schoolyard bullies.

“Here’s the irony,” Lynch writes. “The refusal to air our campaign endorses the ads’ central truth: there are traditional pay-TV players that just don’t get it.”

Here’s what Lynch and Sling TV are saying, with the introductory video featuring Lynch followed by the schoolyard bully spot:

18 Comments

  1. I’m not surprised by Comcast tactics. It seems Comcast wants to live up to the Sling TV ad about cable companies by flexing their muscle and not running the Sling TV ad. Go Sling! Comcast needs to improve their service and their pricing is high. I find the ad to be accurate. The FCC should’ve blocked the Comcast acquisition of NBC.

  2. Roger Lynch is totally right. Sling is the TV of the future and NBCUniversal, owned by cable giant Comcast, is the big bully trying to keep everyone in the past.

  3. these commercials are disgusting in that they use children, most of whom are overweight, to depict very unpleasant bullies who are strong arm people to utilize existing cable providers.

    I could not care less about the sponsor or the targeted companies, but it disgusts me that these overweight children are being depicted as ultra nasty bullies. This is the kind of nonsense that keeps unfair stereotypes alive to victimize children. They suggest it is okay to dislike fat people because they are bullies who would do things like stick their fingers in innocent people’s ears, etc.

    In addition to being disgusting the commercials are ineffective. I had started changing the channel when the ads aired. I didn’t even know the name SlingTV. I had to watch it once to write this comment.

    I do not excuse the abuse of the image of overweight children because these overweight kids were paid to be be in the ads.

    Shame in Sling TV.

    • Do you think that was an exaggeration? it´s not, for the TV industry its a parody, for the bulling its a reality, and for the obese kids as well, how about we all turn around, close our eyes and just pretend that thigs are cool, just put thin kids, make a happy story and don´t think while we are at it. Shame on Sling? There is no shame, even on you.

  4. This is probably the worst and stupidest commercial in ages. Kids brow-beating adults, parents. No adult with an iq over 70 will immediately change stations rather than listen to the commercial. The originators must all be under 12 years of age and with an iq the same.

    • Wise and Strong Kergy, pointing fingers and cursing, you may be missing the point, there is a bad product, expensive too and with lots of limitations, something new comes up, better, more enriching less doll, etc. and you critique the add? They are just making a point.

  5. I watched the funny commercials online and thought Sling Tv nailed it-truth in advertismen, indeed! And Comcast/NBC actions are the perfect coda to the commercials. For years now, we the consumer have had no alternative to paying high monthly cable bills consisting of 100 + channels-and now thanks to Sling Tv, we have a choice to save money. Sling Tv might not be for everyone, but its been perfect for me these last five months. I’ve been able to watch the basic channels I actually look at-like Hbo, Espn, etc…for about $35 a month & with no cable set top boxes needed.

  6. Actually, the commercial shows a sexual assault, not just bullying. Holding someone down and grabbing, squeezing, pulling their nipple is sexual assault. I applaud NBC. Mr. Lynch should rethink his commercial. It’s disgusting.

    • It´s a Parody, and the Bulling subject is not to be dismissed in this days, like in any other time it’s very assertive when you bring a subject in this case bulling to illustrate how an institution is bulling their customers, it’s a battle between people and institutions, we are all people at the end, so who do you think is the bad guy here? Sling for trying to make things better for the people in general or Comcast for hiding information that will bring their empire down because they don´t keep up with tech and they don´t care about the experience of the TV user, in that case don’t you think Comcast would be already fighting sling with their own Streaming product instead of hiding valuable information that people need to know so we can choose a more efficient way of watching TV? I’m not a TV watcher but if I was, I would love to sit down for 1 or 2 hours watch a show that I like and then continue with my day, instead of having to see what the TV provider wants me to watch at the time they want me to watch it.

  7. I agree with Helen Zich. The commercials are offensive because they take the low road approach to what they call “humor” by casting fat children to try to get laughs. It’s time to stop using “fat” as funny. It seems to be the last acceptable prejudice. I don’t care how good the product may be, I would never support it because this shows a lack of conscience and responsibility in perpetuating a terrible stereotype against anyone who is overweight. The advertising creatives and company execs need to go back to the drawing board and come up with something that is truly creative, and doesn’t rely on cheap shot stereotyping fat kids. I should know. I working in advertising as a copywriter for more than 25 years.

  8. Correction: That should have said “I worked in advertising…”

  9. I just saw.the commercial and found it very offensive. Never heard of sling tv before and don’t want to know more about it now. I agree with the many comments about why and how wrong the commercial is. Anyone who finds it humorous doesn’t get it.

    • Wow!!! I can’t agree more. They are so offensive to me my blood boils every time they appear on my DIRECT-TV. I live in a 55+ and purchase DTV because the HOA has made Comcast the cable of choice (yuk, yuki and many more yuks). I’d rather cut back expenses on anything else than purchase the product that OKs advertising that is willing to abuse my senses like the sling ad does (I’m referring to the two “adults” who can’t get an advertising gig anywhere else than their morally objective commercial).

  10. MSNBC is unwatchable on SLING TV due to some odd drum track played during commercial breaks. Hideous and pounding, also you have to pay 10$ more monthly… crazy. DONT DO IT!

  11. We will NOT subscribe to Sling because of their offensive ads involving a couple in bed, a plumber plunging , and swingers sharing Sling. What has happened to family-friendly values in our country? One Million Moms should protest Sling’s provocative, tasteless ads.

    • Let’s get a million-mom march on
      Washington to protest the ad and the commercials!!!

  12. If sling were free I would never get it. Disgusting commercial.

  13. The sling people are idiots. The whole purpose of marketing is to generate as many sales as possible so when you figure out that you’re insulting a whole group of people you change your strategy. They deserve to go OOB! There ads are in poor taste. It doesn’t take a creative genius to go to the bottom of the barrel to find an ad

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