‘New York Times’ To Run Its First TV Ad In Seven Years During The Oscars

The New York Times will be running its first TV ad in seven years this Sunday during the live broadcast of the 89th Academy Awards. This will also be the publication’s first-ever advertisement during an Academy Awards show. The ad, which has been titled “The Truth,” appears to take clear jabs at the Trump administration.

The 30-second ad displays a list of statements beginning with the words, “The truth is.” Throughout the ad, one can hear voices of people with different points of view debating politics while the on-screen text displays their idea in the form of “The truth is.” The 30-second minimalist black-and-white ad is set to be broadcast during the Oscars and could set the Times back by almost $2.5 million.

A branding exec for the New York Times, David Rubin, says that the ad’s purpose was to tap into the ongoing debate and concerns regarding facts and truths.

“The idea is to be a part of that discussion about what does it mean to find the truth. What does that mean in a world of ‘fake news’? And what is the role of journalism and journalists in that process and what is the role of reader in supporting that journalism?

“We think it’s a great metaphor for how hard it is on a regular basis to understand the truth. That leads into the role that we think journalism can play in helping you cut through that clutter and make your own sense of what’s going on in the world.”

You can check the ad below.

The ad starts off with the statement, “The truth is our nation is more divided than ever.”

Throughout the 30-second ad, several jabs are taken at the Trump administration. One of the statements reads, “The truth is alternative facts are lies,” a clear shot at Kellyanne Conway, Trump’s senior advisor who was scrutinized for using the term “alternative facts” last month during an interview with NBC’s Chuck Todd.

Another statement reads, “The truth is a woman should dress like a woman.” This is a reference to news concerning Trump where the online news publication Axios published a report citing an unnamed source who claimed that President Trump prefers that the woman who work for him to “dress like women.”

Another statement reads, “The truth is the media is dishonest.” This is a clear shot at Trump, who has time and again called the media dishonest and fake.

"One of the most effective press conferences I've ever seen!" says Rush Limbaugh. Many agree.Yet FAKE MEDIA calls it differently! Dishonest

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2017

The powerful ad ends with the words, “The truth is hard/the truth is hard to know/the truth is more important than ever,” before closing on the logo of the New York Times.

Trump had repeatedly targeted the media, the New York Times more so than others, which he has labeled “fake news.” Ironically, the paper reported that it got 276,000 new digital subscriptions in the fourth quarter of 2016, making it their best quarter in five years, the Hill reports.

Besides airing during the Oscars, the ad will also be broadcast elsewhere on television. The campaign will also feature print versions of the ad in billboards put across four prominent American cities — New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Furthermore, the New York Times itself is set to print the ad during the following weekend.

Regarding the decision to broadcast the ad during the Academy Awards, branding exec David Rubin said that the New York Times had made the decision based on the show’s timing and impact.

“We wanted a high profile media moment. This felt like a great moment for people to respond and react to the spot.”

The 89th Academy Awards show is set to air on Sunday night on ABC.

[Featured Image by Gil C/Shutterstock]