Last week, there was a lot of discussion about 30 Rock's very special iPhone/McFlurry Awareness episode. (Sample: "Mmm I love McFlurries! Sometimes I use my iPhone as a spoon to eat them, thus combining two things that I love. Yum and great technology! iPhone iPhone iPhone McFlurry McFlurry McFlurry."). Personally, I wasn't too bothered by it. While I'm sure it's creatively upsetting for the writers to have to think of a way to shoehorn products into plotlines, talk/use of both the iPhone and the McFlurry on 30 Rock felt reasonably organic. But watching The View this morning, and witnessing the great care that they put into folding the product placement delicately into the show, like egg whites into a souffle batter, I realized that 30 Rock could have handled things a lot differently:
Did you even notice the Hamburger Helper spot? I know what you're thinking: What Hamburger Helper spot? It just felt like another crazy day with the ladies of The View, chatting about hot topics, shrilling about relationships, and Joy waxing comedic about her culinary skills. Take note, TV writers, that is how you do product placement.