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What kind of crazy Alternate Advertising Universe just hit us?

In one weird decision, the CRTC are out to make broadcasters and cable companies jump through hoops so that… wait for it…so that the people can see American TV commercials. On TV. During a TV show. I mean, as far as I can tell I think that’s what we are talking about.

Apparently, the CRTC got actual protests from actual viewers complaining that they don’t see enough commercials broadcast during the Super Bowl telecast. I can tell you, and with some authority, that this is not usually the case. Usually, we marketers have to show puppies, rock bands, and red fridges so that viewers don’t change the channel or zip past our commercials during the breaks. But not, apparently, during the Super Bowl. During the Super Bowl they can’t get enough of them.

Therefore, and starting with the 2017 Super Bowl, the CRTC will prohibit Bell Media from showing Canadian commercials during the U.S. broadcast of the Super Bowl, even though they have paid (and handsomely) for the rights to the Super Bowl for all of Canada.

But Bell could put Canadian commercials in their own Super Bowl show you say. Right. But the protestors don’t want those commercials, they want American commercials. Not always, mind you, but for the Super Bowl, yes — just for this one show. But every time for this one show. I think.

Well, the people want what they want and they must have what they want, right? Never mind that these American commercials are freely available to be seen online by anyone before, during, and after the big game. Never mind that Canadian advertisers won’t have access to the biggest TV opportunity of the year. Never mind that American products will be featured that might not even be available in Canada. Never mind that some Canadian commercials now won’t even be made. Never mind that Canadian actors will not get work in these commercials. Never mind that Canadian advertisers will have their marketing efforts marginalized. And never mind that the Canadian broadcasting system will receive diminished funding.

Never mind all that. Just blame it on the Alternative Advertising Universe. A universe where ‘CRTC’ surely stands for ‘Can’t Really Think Clearly.’