Commentary: Majors back in Oscar game this year

October 28, 2008 The Academy's decision to allow movie ads on its Feb. 22 Oscar telecast is designed not only to raise revenue at a time when other advertisers are cutting back but also to attract viewers by giving them an early look at event films arriving later in the year. While accepting movie ads may help improve revenues for the telecast, their presence on the show isn't likely to make much difference in terms of ratings. Unlike ads for the wide range of consumer products and services that are advertised in wildly creative and provocative ways on the Superbowl, there's a lot less latitude for doing something unique when you're trying to sell movie tickets.

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