The truth, of course, is that it's utterly compelling entertainment. And unfortunately for the BBC and Sky, it's also true to say that ITV are the masters of producing shows that can pull in millions of viewers despite turning off the critics.
(Caption competition entries to kerr.mailbox@gmail.com)Now I know that as an educated, cultured chap I should be watching the Alan Bennett play on BBC4. And according to media planners up and down the country, professing as they do the coming of the 'age of engagement', I should then go online to take part in the live webchat before downloading a dozen related podcasts.
However, the truth is I will indulge my guilty pleasure, often with others in the room, and the remote will remain untouched throughout. And as much as this cesspit of a show will enthrall us all, none of us have even the vaguest interest in checking the website until the next installment - for then mindless entertainment (instant gratification, immediately forgettable) would become something of a labour, a chore.
During the ad break on "Final" night, it was impossible not to notice how advertisers (with the exception of one) had lept on the band wagon by producing simply entertaining commercials. There was no pressure for me to 'press red' or absorb complex product detail, to decode a baffling set of metaphors or even to remember a URL. The ad break was truly as entertaining as the programming and I was happy to watch, even grateful.
One ad has since received much credit, acclaim and recognition (more about Barclaycard in subsequent posts). The other was Walls, who clearly had very little media money so invested in a simple, entertaining creative and a couple of high impact spots.
The one advertiser that bucked the trend was NatWest - and here I must first admit some involvement: they are my employers. In a sector where consumer confidence has collapsed and the media peddle doom and gloom daily, re-building trust is an imperative. So a practical, head-on message demonstrating how a financial services brand can help its customers in these troubled times seems on the money (ahem).
So, to trend spotting. Will 2009 see the likes of Mr Grade head in hands, bemoaning the relentless onslaught of PVRs and the apparent consumer want for multi-platform, multi-layered engagement-driven entertainment? Or will ITV shareholders start smiling again when the herd returns for the 'Soma' of mass-market, mindless programming to ease the worries of the real world? (Afterall, not many of us can afford the latest ad-blocking digi-box right now.)
Advertisers will also have to pay their money and make their choice: in the wake of global financial turmoil and economic doom and gloom, which will use escapism and entertainment to win hearts and minds and which will tackle the downturn head-on with practical, back to basics messaging?
In all likelihood, both approaches will work. But we're unlikely to see too many brands being aloof, arrogant or overly complex in 2009.
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