Do advertisers think we're stupid?

During each Grammy commercial break, I didn't flip the channel or go into my kitchen looking for unclaimed bottles of wine I could steal a glass from (okay maybe once), I was fully committed to uniquely viewing each commercial. Each would be judged by every detail, however after the most recent games and award shows I have noticed one thing: if you're a celebrity featured in an ad, the one commercial or print ad you're featured in is not all that's expected from you. Yes, we all are very used to seeing a celeb wearing/using the products they are endorsing, this is nothing new. I'm talking about enduring further than this.

I saw this practice taken to a new level yesterday at the Grammy's with Katy Perry, E! Entertainment, and CoverGirl. Katy Perry was featured in CoverGirl's mascara commercial during almost every E! Entertainment commercial break. During the time she was getting ready for the Grammy's, Katy posted a picture to Instagram of her makeup artist using CoverGirl's newest mascara on her lashes. This is a marketing ploy we have all seen happen before, we all know Katy's makeup artist might have used two swipes of CoverGirl's mascara for the picture, and turned back to a more expensive, higher quality mascara. Not throwing CoverGirl under the bus, just saying there's better mascara out there in the makeup world. Furthermore, I am 95% positive Katy's lashes are fake; like many of her costumes and wigs, every thing is about high drama and full effect, rather than reality.

The moment CoverGirl really took me for a spin was when Katy Perry stepped up to talk to Ryan Seacrest on camera during the E! red carpet segment. Seacrest had previously been interviewing artists about their outfits, recent success, what they're looking forward to about that night, wishing them luck, and sending them on their way. But when Katy stepped up, he asked a few of the basic questions, then made a note to mention how Katy had Instagrammed a picture of her getting ready for the Grammy's, clearly talking about the one CoverGirl was featured in because that was the only picture she posted while getting ready. He then told E! to pull it up, at the blink of an eye the Instagram picture popped up on the TV screen. Next, there was a commercial break, and the first commercial that aired was CoverGirl's with Katy.

Coincidence? I think not. CoverGirl clearly not only had an ad aired on the exact channel that would be interviewing Katy Perry AND with an artist nominated/featured in a Grammy performance, they had Katy Instagram a picture of her markup artist using the product, and topped it off by having Ryan Seacrest casually bring up the picture on screen when he was live interviewing Katy. Do they think we're stupid? Also, Seacrest not once talked to any of the artists about their makeup or Instagram pictures, and it was clearly a marketing ploy strategical set up.

Not sure if anyone else caught on, but I did. CoverGirl, you can't fool me. It's amazing how much more integrated marketers have to be to try and convince consumers to use their products. I don't watch much cable TV, maybe this type of marketing is very common, it's just the first time I have been exposed to it and it really caught me off guard.

Here is a link to the commercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoZhr5MfQLo