Enforced Plug: Difference between revisions

{{trope}}

 

A plug is a mention thrown in by a show or an individual to promote said show or another product. An '''Enforced Plug''' is a mention that is presented so blatantly, it's obvious that they're [[Executive Meddling|contractually obligated]] to add it in. This is a particularly annoying form of [[Viral Marketing]], as the stagy way the plug is presented usually severely kills the mood for the viewer and the momentum of the show, losing viewer interest in both the show and the product instead of heightening it.

 

== [[Literature]] ==

* The ''[[Thursday Next]]'' series has a lot of seemingly out-of-nowhere references to something called the Toast Marketing Board. {{spoiler|''One Of Our Thursdays Is Missing'' reveals that this is because when the ''written'' Thursday, who "plays" the first-person narrator of the ''Thursday Next'' books, briefly visited the real world, she took a big check from the Toast Marketing Board in exchange for inserting references to it into the series.}}

 

== [[Live Action TV]] ==

 

* ''[[X-Play]]'' likewise tends to plug an online game rental store numerous times during each show. They try to mix it up to keep it interesting, but after the first hundred times, it's grown very thin.

* Call-in voting for talent shows always mentions what telephone company is sponsoring the phone lines.

{{quote|'''Clarkson''': In fact, I think the only thing better looking than [the Ferrari F60]...is this book, Inside Out, by [the drummer from Pink Floyd].}}

* ''[[Men of a Certain Age]]'' has Chevrolet as a major sponsor, and the plot of one episode revolved around first creating a straight commercial for Chevrolet's latest model, then a series of zany viral spots on Terry's recommendation.

* Done ''[[Gushing About Shows You Like|brilliantly]]'' in one episode of ''[[Alice and Bob]]'', where a number of [[Trope Co]] products are worked seamlessly into an engaging and thought-provoking plotline. Not only that, they also manage to get across the superior workmanship of [[Trope Co]] products, and do it all with a wry, knowing self-deprecation that showcases [[Trope Co]]'s general easygoing ethos.

** Man, [[Trope Co]] ''rules''. I can't imagine any other market-leading company having such a close relationship with its customers and the artistic community! Are you watching, corporate executives? ''This is how it's done''.

 

== [[Machinima]] ==

== [[Podcast]] ==

* [[Writing Excuses]] has a regular plug around the 7 to 8 minute mark. Originally it was sponsored by Tor.com, but when they lack a sponsor for a particular episode they are either shill their own books (the other 'casters hum in the background when this happens) or resort to comedy, including "Buy Dan Bacon" and "Pants".

Dan: "Pants: Put them Back On, Please." }}

* All of [http://www.slate.com/id/2247323/ Slate Magazine's podcasts] are sponsored by Audible.com, a site that sells digital downloads of audiobooks. Every one of their Gabfest shows has a break set aside in the middle where they talk about Audible and a tie-in promo offer. The hosts at least try and connect this to the show, by asking listeners to recommend books - but they have to be books that are available in audio form from the sponsor.

*** This is no longer the case for Slate- they are now sponsored by an online-backup service (who also sponsors many tech and comedy podcasts). In place of the Audible recommendations is now, on the Culture Gabfest, a [[Running Gag]] involving movie critic Dana Stevens [[Never Live It Down|spilling chai on someone's laptop]].

 

* Happens a lot on bigger TV events, as between matches the commentators sloppily segue into a plug for the upcoming Pay-Per-View event, a sponsor's product, the latest movie starring one of the wrestlers, etc. Commentators on independent shows will utilize often even sloppier plugs for their upcoming live shows.

** "This episode of ''WWE Raw'' is brought to you by [http://youtube.com/watch?v=nBAXWZ6vLRc fruity, fruity, delicious, fruity SKITTLES!]"

'''Kenny Baker''' (as Watson): "[[No Fourth Wall|Commercial taken care of.]]" }}

* ''[[A Prairie Home Companion]]'' often segues a dramatic story into a suggestion for Bebop-a-Rebop Rhubarb Pie or Powdermilk Biscuits (in the big blue box!)

 

== [[Sports]] ==

* The ''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force]]'' episode "Boost Mobile", ''shockingly'' contains Enforced Plugs.

* ''[[American Dad]]'' [[Lampshaded]] an enforced plug for Burger King. Stan and Steve were discussing about how to expose the truth about peanut butter in a ''[[National Treasure]]'' [[Whole-Plot Reference]] at a Burger King restaurant, and Steve asked him why they were at a Burger King. Stan told him that [[Product Placement|the laws of TV economics have changed]].

* Parodied in [http://www.teamfortress.com/macupdate/comic/ this] ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' Comic.

* The latest ''[[Futurama]]'' [[Christmas Episode]] parodies this, especially early and late in the episode.

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Advertising Tropes]]