:: Ralph Lauren, Marie Claire, and "Secret Guitar Chords" ::

Advertisements I've encountered in the last two days:

I ordered an electric tuner on December 31 (so as to avoid violating my resolution condemning unnecessary consumption, although I have a very serious tin ear so I think a tuner is more necessary than frivolous...).

Anyway, the tuner came with a slip of paper that promised "secret guitar chords the experts don't know" if I singed up for something online. I don't even play guitar so that was a waste of a little slip of paper.

I also inadvertently watched a commercial for Marie Claire something or other... I've been trying to avoid network TV with commercials (its funny how you don't realize you're even watching a commercial until like 30 seconds in) but I'm home with my mother now and she's very committed to HGTV and those meaningless sitcoms they air as reruns on TBS. I've also noticed a lot of product placement in those.

Speaking of product placement, I watched a few seasons of the fourth season of Arrested Development and there are riddled with product placement, or what feels like product placement (I noticed, in particular, an out-of-place mention of AllState). Even if these things aren't intentional product placement, they still represent how brands and specific products have entirely infiltrated our society. Very disappointing.

Oh, I also saw ads for Ralph Lauren and (duh) Viking River Cruises on PBS.