Idolizing Ad Time

Some have suggested that the finale of American Idol may be the biggest show on television after the Super Bowl (not sure--the BCS National Championship game in college football and NCAA men's basketball tournament final MIGHT be bigger but close). Certainly, advertisers treated the AI finale (rumored ad rates of over $1 million per spot) as though they were gold. Three insurance companies (Allstate, Nationwide and State Farm), three cosmetic products (Almay, Olay and Veet), MasterCard and VISA had competing ads and three (possibly four) movies had ads. Prime advertisers (two each) were Cingular, Coca-Cola, Ford and Mc Donalds. Among others shelling out for exposure: Hanes, Kraft, Monster, Old Navy, Sears and Taco Bell.

Oh--the performances, themselves. Judge Simon Cowell thought that Taylor Hicks won the competition--a boon for all grey-haired, overweight guys :). From what I saw, Taylor was more consistent but Katherine McPhee sang a beautiful "Over the Rainbow" from the Wizard of Oz; I can easily imagine her as a star on Broadway in a few years.