After getting chided on Thursday for working lighthearted spots for Applebee’s and other advertisers right alongside its coverage of the Russia-Ukraine battle, CNN has removed the ad unit from such news programming.
As seen in one instance beneath (shared on Twitter), the stark visible of air raid sirens bellowing across Kyiv is abruptly accompanied by a jaunty Applebee’s spot that squeezes into the same body to tout hot wings, chilly beers and a twerking cowboy.
WW3 sponsored by Applebees.
We’re residing in an episode of South Park.
— NUFF (@nuffsaidny) February 24, 2022
In another occasion, CNN’s coverage of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which started in the wee hours of Thursday morning, winds up sharing the screen with couples frolicking under the sun at Sandals resorts — as the lyrics to Bob Marley’s “Everything’s Gonna Be Alright” lilt over the scene.
These “squeezeback” ad models that stop programming from being absolutely interrupted by a business are intended to keep viewers from altering the channel, Adweek explains.
However for the time being at least, CNN will minimize back the squeezebacks.
A spokerson for WarnerMedia, which owns CNN, said in a statement to Adweek/TVNewser, “Squeezeback advertisements have been removed from the coverage.”
