“Nip/Tuck,” one of the hottest shows on television, is sewing up an enviable audience of young, free-spending viewers–and scaring off most of corporate America.
The drama on Fox cable channel FX details the exploits of two Miami Beach plastic surgeons and is loaded with sex, foul language, occasional drug use and wince-inducing scenes of patients going under the knife.
The show has plenty of commercials too. But many mainstream advertisers–Cingular Wireless, Orkin Pest Control, Progressive Casualty Insurance Co., Gateway Computers and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream–bailed out after getting an earful from channel surfers and the Parents TV Council, a watchdog group that is trying to hold networks accountable by targeting their advertisers, who are susceptible to public pressure.
“It was a mistake. Customers are vocal these days, and we listen,” Cingular spokesman Clay Owen said.
Shows like “Nip/Tuck” represent a new dilemma for TV execs and advertisers alike.
News Corp.’s FX and other cable channels are under pressure to stand out in a 200-channel TV universe. Advertisers, meanwhile, are trying to navigate the politically charged atmosphere after Janet Jackson’s breast-baring stunt at this year’s Super Bowl.
“These are the shows … that viewers often rave about and say they want more of,” said Andy Donchin of the media buying firm Carat USA. “But when they are on ad-supported television, a roadblock exists because advertisers want to be respectful of viewers and not to offend anyone. … Sometimes these shows are just a little too risque for us.”
Remaining on the sidelines often means passing up a prime opportunity to reach the most coveted consumers: young adults.
When NBC Universal rolled out “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” on Bravo last summer, major advertisers were too nervous to buy time. When the show took off, they clamored to sign up.
To be sure, several advertisers have been drawn to the desirable demographics of shows such as “Nip/Tuck,” “Celebrity Poker Showdown” on Bravo and a semi-sanitized “Sex and the City” on TBS. Advertisers who stayed with “Nip/Tuck” (such as Smirnoff, Jose Cuervo, Guinness and Bacardi) aren’t complaining. Playing at 9 p.m. Tuesdays, the show has frequently finished in the Top 5 for ad-supported cable shows among young adults. It’s averaging 3.3 million viewers a week, growing nearly 10 percent since last summer.
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Edited by Cara DiPasquale (cdipasquale@tribune.com) and Curt Wagner (cwwagner@tribune.com)
