I was just reading an article in the New York Times about television commercials in France. It's really interesting, the way they chose to appeal to their customers versus the way American, and even British, commercials advertise. Here, companies tend to want to stress the value of their product, and how much better it is than competitor's. These commercials go "from the head to the wallet". In France, however, commercials tend to be appeal more to the senses. They stress sex and wit, because that is what French culture is to them. Many of their commercials could never be shown here in America, they are too sexual, and/or plain old strange. It isn't so much what they are advertising, as how. The focus is on the sensual appeal, the aesthetics. Commercials are also again being limited in that they cannot be shown on public channels in the evening in France. I think that that is absolutely great of them. I would definitely watch more television (okay maybe it's not such a great idea...) if there were no commercials. I imagine television must also be more pleasant without constantly being bombarded with loud, obnoxious "BUY NOW, PAY LATER" type ads. The French seem to treat their commercials much more like art, like film, something they are known for taking very seriously.
