Impact
The impact of each character has on the audience is huge, even though they all play stereotyped characters, the impact they have on the audience is aspirational. The audience is inspired by the characters as they have a 'perfect' life and want to be more like them and have their lifestyle. So by watching Friends, the audience gets to escape into the show and dream of a life like theirs.
Advertising
Nowadays, Friends isn't advertised as most products are. Because people know about Friends and have heard about it, there's no need to advertise it like you would a new programme, as the legacy of Friends has been carried on for years and years. Friends is advertised nowadays by having themed nights on distribution channels such as Comedy Central. These themed Nights include 'Top 10 Ross moments" or "Top 10 Friends episodes you hate to forget" The themed nights allow them to play all the episodes that fit in that category. This enables the distribution company and the Friends makers to make as much money as possible out of a product that is generally quite old. Running up to the season finale Friends, NBC charged up to $2 million per 30 second advertisement of Friends, due to the enormous amount of people expected tot tune into the finale. As well as this, there was pre and post programs related to Friends. Before the 9pm season finale, there was an hour long tribute program dedicated to the cast of Friends. Then after the season finale at 10pm, the cast of Friends appeared on "The Tonight Show"
Distribution
Friends was initially aired on Sky channels and Channel 4 in the UK. Suggesting that it was a very popular show, as it went straight to Sky, emphasising that only people with sky could watch it, almost limiting the people who could watch it. Friends is distributed through the television, as that's where it was first aired, Friends is also distributed through DVD's. The Friends complete collection was released soon after the programme finished. However, more and more people are now watching it online by subscribing to websites such as Netflix. Piracy doesn't really affect the show now as it's stopped releasing new episodes, you can watch some shows/clips online nowadays. However, piracy will effect the sales of the DVD box set, the more people that are watching it illegally, the less DVD sales they will have.
Friends final season full trailer
This is promo for the tenth and final season of Friends. It's a really lengthy trailer as it lasts for over five minutes and shows us some in depth clips of what has happened in previous seasons and what is about to happen in the final season. I really like the layout of the promo because it shows various clips about each character and the major story lines they've had. I think the trailer is mainly aimed at the people who are constant viewers or who have seen it before because of the lack of titles and more clips. The trailer has hardly no explicit content. This could be because its the final season trailer, and that the producers want the trailer to appeal to a wider audience as its the final season ever of Friends, and therefore they would make more money if more people watch it.
Friends season 1-4 Trailer
The TV regulations company for the UK is called Ofcom. Ofcom regulate the TV and radio sectors to ensure that the UK get 'the best from their communications service and that they're protected from scams and sharp practices.'
Effects and Regulation/Advertising
The TV regulations company for the UK is called Ofcom. Ofcom regulate the TV and radio sectors to ensure that the UK get 'the best from their communications service and that they're protected from scams and sharp practices.' This is the trailer to Friends seasons 1-4. Compared to the 1-10 season trailer this has more controversial clips. The clips are again, all in depth however, there are more references to controversial things such as smoking and a sexual nature. For example, at various points of this trailer, Chandler is smoking a cigarette. As a result of Chandler smoking a cigarette at numerous points in this trailer, means that the trailer cannot be distributed to people younger than 12. This is because the 12 classification states that "Misuse of drugs must be infrequent and should not be glamorised or give instructional detail." In this case, Chandler is smoking more than once. Also, the British Board of film Classification also states "give instructional detail", the clip doesn't directly tell the audience how to light a cigarette or how to smoke one. Therefore, I think it fits into this specific classification.
As well as this, sexual references frequently occur. The clip sees Monica, Joey and Rachel talking about sex however, that is the only clip we see in this trailer where people are referring to sex. Although, we do see Rachel and Ross at the end of the trailer in bed together, which is implying that they may have had sex. The British Board of Film Classification explains that at the classification of a 12/12A is "Sexual activity may be briefly and discreetly portrayed."
I agree with the statement because in this clip I think the clip agrees with all the statements. A sexual nature has been referred to, however that was only one time. I also think it was briefly explored in the clip, when Rachel and Ross were in the bed. Although, they didn't directly say they had sex, it was just implied.
The full season trailer has no controversial clips as it wants to cater for a wider audience as the producers want as many people to watch Friends. By not having no controversial clips in the trailer, this will enable the trailer to be distributed out to a younger audience, allowing there to be more people watching Friends. If the trailer did have controversial clips in, the trailer wouldn't be allowed to be watched by younger people. As well as this, the characters have grown up in Friends, they're are more mature, so its less likely for there to be any sexual references as they have grown up and have families. I think this trailer should be classed as a 12 as the evidence I have shown supports the age 12 certificate. By certifying it as a 12, affects the distribution as people under the age of 12 are not allowed to watch it. Therefore, the distribution channels won't be making as much money.
Representation
Friends is a very stereotypical programme, it has a very stereotypical cast. All the characters are very different in their own way and can be found in most peoples friendship groups. For example, there is the 'girl next door' which is Rachel, the mother of the group being Monica, the nerd, which is Ross, the dumb one, which is Joey. There is no people in friends that has a different ethnic minority, they're all white people. As well as this, there are no gay people in the Friends cast. Apart from Ross's ex wife, Carol, who was a lesbian. This could suggest that gay/lesbian people weren't accepted in the times when Friends was filmed. As well as this, it could suggest that gay people were not in the 'stereotypical' friendship group in America. Although there are no gay people in the cast, Monica and Ross are both Jewish. This is representing America at the time, coffee lovers, normal to not have many ethnic friends. Coffee shops had just started out, Friends really got everyone into the hype of coffee and people copied off Friends by starting to drink and visit coffee shops more often. Friends even got the UK hooked on to coffee when it was first broadcasted. Friends brought all the stereotypical American things over to the UK with the show.
Friends was more of a middle class show. Most of the characters came from a high class background apart from Phoebe, for example, Ross and Monica's parents are very high class and wealthy. Also, Rachel's family are quite wealthy. This clip shows just how spoilt Jill is, therefore implying that Rachel has a wealthy family.
Friends has an all white cast, there are no black/ethnic people in the cast, this is suggesting that Friends is for stereotypical white people and also representing what times were like when Friends was filmed. The only recurring black character in Friends was Joeys girlfriend, Charlie. As I've said that most of the characters have a typically high class background, Phoebe is the only character who doesn't. Her farther abandoned the family when she was only young and her mother was a suspected drug dealer. Phoebe was homeless on her own. This shows a stark contrast between Phoebes childhood to Rachel's high class childhood. Even though they all have different backgrounds, it didn't matter because they were all Friends ad got on with each other, I think Friends represents this in a good way.
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