“You’ll pay for extra channels and like it,” says a pubescent bully portraying “old TV” as he pins another young man portraying a typical cable customer in a new television ad from Sling TV. Sling TV is running the ad on its web page, along with a blog post noting that Comcast/ NBC owned-and-operated television stations have refused to run the ads.
Independently-owned NBC stations are running the ads, as are stations owned and operated by ABC, CBS and Fox and affiliates of those networks, Sling TV says.
“Maybe these commercials hit a little too close to home for [Comcast] when we call them out for tactics like price hikes, equipment fees and all-around terrible customer service,” speculates Sling TV CEO Roger Lynch in a video that precedes several of the rejected commercials, in which various bullies use strong arm tactics – such as shoving grass into a victim’s mouth or giving a victim a wedgie — to depict some of these practices.
The ads go on to promote Sling TV’s $20-a-month offering that gives consumers 20 popular TV channels and which does not require a long-term contract.
“Take back TV,” the ads say, encouraging viewers to sign up for a free seven-day trial.
Sling TV Vs. Comcast
“Comcast has a demonstrated history of shutting down ideas it doesn’t like or understand, predictably to its benefit and at the expense of consumers,” wrote Lynch in the Sling TV blog post.
Lynch also argued that “Unfortunately, it appears ‘Old TV’ may grasp at any tactic in [an] attempt to preserve the status quo.”
According to Lynch, cities with NBC owned-and-operated stations that will not air the Sling TV ads include San Diego, San Francisco and Washington D.C.
With more and more OTT video offerings such as Sling TV’s hitting the market, I’m sure this won’t be the first time we see a cableco facing off against an OTT offering.
