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Hard to say why this story amuses me so, probably because corporate avarice is on full display. The short of it is that in Chicago radio monolith Clear Channel Radio has found a new angle on product placement, deciding to make a slight alteration to their traffic reports on their radio stations in town. For years one of the sectors of the windy city to be monitored by their choppers was a stretch of highway from downtown leading to O'Hare Airport. But now Clear Channel has begun what they term a "traffic destination rights program". From now on travel times will be given from downtown to the Allstate Arena instead, under a new marketing agreement with the venue. (And you would be a liar and a communist to suggest that it is anything more than coincidence that Clear Channel books all the concerts at the A.A.)

Of course product placement is nothing new to films. It's just that when the product appears in the title of the movie we may be at the saturation point. In a response Modern Drunkard Magazine is hosting a drinking party on Feb. 19. You throw back a shot every time you see a product in the movie Josie and the Pussycats. This could be dangerous as the film supposedly spoofed product placement in movies. To give the crowd an idea of what's in store for them here's a sample of the products featured:
America Online, American Express, Bebe, Billboard Magazine, Bugles, Campbell's Soup, Coke, Entertainment Weekly Magazine, Evian, Ford, Gatorade, Kodak, Krispy Kreme, McDonald's, Milky Way, Motorola, Pepperidge Farm Cookies, Pizza Hut, Pringles, Puma, Ray-Ban, Sega, Starbucks, Steve Madden, Target, and T.J. Maxx.

Now if you think that's not so bad consider something--that's just what appears in the 2.5 minute trailer. You know, when you engage in the very activity you are supposedly spoofing you end up sounding like a hooker who talks about her slutty friend.

I just hope that the organizers intended the irony that they are holding the event in the saloon that was also named in a movie.