The infidelity-promoting website AshleyMadison.com, which touts the slogan “Life is Short. Have an Affair,” was pursued by NBC’s New York affiliate to advertise during Jerry Seinfeld’s prime time show “The Marriage Ref,” FOXNews.com reported Tuesday.
In an e-mail exchange viewed by FOX, an NBC media director urged the independent ad buyer for Ashley Madison to go for the primetime show “The Marriage Ref,” saying it was a “perfect” fit.
“Advertising on a television show that highlights dysfunctional marriages — especially one created by Jerry Seinfeld — was too hard to resist,” the site’s founder/CEO Noel Biderman said.
When reached for comment, a representative for NBC’s affiliates confirmed AshleyMadison.com’s agency inquired about buying air time and was rebuffed.
But Ashley Madison’s independent ad buyer, Jud Bardwell, told FOXNews.com the NBC ad rep “confirmed with me verbally on about March 29th that two of the [ads] were approved to run in all the shows that he sent me rates on.”
One of the commercials is an animated ad featuring a fat, gas-passing, beer-swilling husband sitting on the couch watching television while his wife “Sally” brings out food and prances around him in a bikini in a desperate bid for his attention, even bringing in another near-naked lady.
One media expert said that running any of the ads in prime time would be a mistake for the network.
“My advice to decision makers promoting infidelity during prime time is take off the blinders. ‘Have an affair’ is not a healthy message to send to adults during prime time, much less children who might be watching,” advertising and media expert Steve Hall said. “Imagine finding out your spouse had an affair on a dating site promoted during prime time. How would your kids feel?”
Dr. Debby Herbenick, a sex educator at Indiana University and author of “Because It Feels Good,” said the ads may encourage healthy dialogue between partners.
“This type of advertising speaks to the fact that, as a society, we’re talking more openly about sex, cheating and affairs — and not just Tiger Woods’ alleged affairs, but our hopes and insecurities about our own relationships and those of our friends,” Herbenick said. “My hope is that this type of commercial may get couples talking about their feelings about their relationship, their expectations about monogamy or commitment and whatever it is that keeps them together and feeling connected.”