Okay, I’m literally laughing out loud at this. United Airlines has long been a sponsor of the Tribeca Film Festival, and as part of that they had the right to show a 30 second ad before every screening. They chose this ad to play, which highlights their new Polaris product:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXzMQ34dIMY
After a couple of days of the ad playing, a mutual decision was made to stop screening the ad. Why? Because audiences apparently burst out in uncontrollable laughter when an ad played that showcased United’s great service, to the point that it drowned out the next ad. Some even thought that it seemed like a parody. Per The Hollywood Reporter:
On opening night, April 19, prior to the world premiere unveiling of the Clive Davis: The Soundtrack of Our Lives, the spot “touting United Airlines’ pampering of passengers drew so much derisive laughter it drowned out the next ad entirely,” writes THR critic John DeFore. Others note that it played like a parody. Festival attendees confirmed that similar reactions plagued other screenings — both public and industry — where the spot was shown over the next two days. By Friday evening, April 21, the spots had mostly been pulled, and by Saturday they were gone completely.
A spokesperson for the Tribeca Film Festival issued the following statement, not surprisingly:
“United is a valued partner of the Tribeca Film Festival, and we are grateful for their continued support of our filmmakers and the arts,” said festival spokesperson Tammie Rosen.
Oh my…
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