Alec Baldwin at the Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival with the 2011 Buick Regal
So let's pretend you're an auto brand -- one that used to project swanky, sexy sophistication, but now the average age of your customers is 72.
Now let's pretend that you've finally booted your superstar golphilanderer to the curb, thus freeing up money for other promotions, which have slowly been driving your target audience back toward the Sesame Street end of the life-scale. At 65, they're still eligible to draw Social Security, but the potential long-term damage from hip replacement has been mitigated. Hooray.
Finally, you're ready to show off one of your shiny, new guns -- for lack of a better example, the totally revamped 2011 Buick Regal. Where do you show it off?
If you said the Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, good for you. TCM shows the sort of movies that your primary audience watches with fond memories of childhood and penny-candy, while your secondary audience (i.e. those still of child-bearing age) can see them for what they really are: grayscale campfests.
But then there's the tricky question of whom you should recruit to make appearances alongside the ride. Alec Baldwin? Excellent choice. Apart from a rocky (Ed. note: UNDERSTATEMENT) relationship with his daughter and rumors of some curious peccadilloes, he's on fire right now, thanks to the success of the TV show 30 Rock and the movie It's Complicated. His age and gravitas appeal to gramps, while junior gets off on his badassery and Saturday Night Live sketches (which still have to be explained to the grandson, but whatever, it's a start). You couldn't aim a better shotgun at the 40 - 60 demographic.
On the other hand:
Eli Wallach at the Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival with the 2011 Buick Regal
No.
[Buick]
