Practically Classics Forum

To be fair the BBC don't sort the tickets, that's down to the Applause Store which you have to go through to get tickets.

http://www.applausestore.com/applausest ... =835&bid=5

It would appear that they do send out too many tickets to cover themselves if people don't turn up, as a friend went a few months ago (2 Jags episode) and only just got in before they closed the gates and turned others away. Shoddy way to do it I agree.

Why on earth would anybody want to go to that, and turn themselves into a laughing stock? (rhetorical question - don't answer)

I don't usually watch Top Gear, but caught it on iplayer after reading this thread... I felt every minute of that programme was a well oiled marketing exercise.
I had alwaysthought - when I did watch it - that JC unfairly promoted Ford products in particular, then found he got a GT40 (as payment?).
It felt strangely wrong when he drove that E-Type until it turned out he was flogging the Eagle Speedster.
The way the presenters dismissed the MG without a second look was bordering on the bigoted, the racial remarks left a bitter taste too.

It's either all superlatives when they like something and the "facts" just get made up to suit their opinions, or they treat it like they did the "Chinese" MG.

How much of our licence money was spent on their Marauder marketing piece? With all that surreptitious advertising the Beeb are earning their keep with, is it not about time they got rid of the TV tax?

Regards
Karl

Relax!!! It's just a bit of light entertainment with some nice cars thrown in!! Why oh why do people take TG so seriously? None of the team are particularly knowledgable on motors or particularly skilled at driving them...5th gear have the talented drivers, and it shows, but TG is the better entertainment show.

I know, I need to relax more...

I'd like to be entertained, it's just that they keep trying to sell me stuff in an underhand way or is that just my paranoia talking?

I wonder. Until reading your post, I'd always viewed TG in the same way, allowing myself to be entertained and laughing out loud at the sheer daftness of most of it.
But are they trying to sell things? Product placement on Aunty? Never. I mean, would - for example - Renault really have sanctioned "advertising" material that led the potential buyer of the Twingo to believe that their car might come with a real-life Ross Kemp in the boot?

I should think that some manufacturers would be horrified at the brutal portrayal of their products on the show but, just watching one of the earlier (first post-relaunch series) episodes on Dave t'other day, I found myself amazed by the way in which Clarkson and Jason Dawe both waxed lyrical on the Citroen Berlingo.
Now that could have been scripted by PSA themselves and was, IMHO, all the poorer for it.
If we want to hear about new cars that we can actually buy and run as daily transport, then we are quite at liberty to go and bother the dealers for a test drive and/or a brochure, but the show's tendency toward coverage of exotica gives the viewer the opportunity to enjoy these supercars and other exotic stuff vicariously and without the risks.
Mission accomplished says I.

I do enjoy it, it tickles my sense of humour. Of course you need to take the comments Tongue in cheek. JC, JM & The Hamster have got a job 'playing', hats off to 'em. I would do too given half a chance.
The fact remains that TG is sold worldwide (virtually) and brings the Beeb loads a money! So I reckon, for the time being it is here to stay.

All three of the chaps wrote:Growler!

mach1rob wrote:To be fair the BBC don't sort the tickets, that's down to the Applause Store which you have to go through to get tickets.

http://www.applausestore.com/applausest ... =835&bid=5

It would appear that they do send out too many tickets to cover themselves if people don't turn up, as a friend went a few months ago (2 Jags episode) and only just got in before they closed the gates and turned others away. Shoddy way to do it I agree.

This is standard practice. A couple of friends of mine went down to listen to a recording of The News Quiz. They had the same approach there.

Are Top Gear trying to sell things? Well Top Gear does have products on it and the presenters do like some of them. There we are then, a Top Gear fact!

I can't say I've ever bought something because Top Gear said so.

they do make me want to buy an aston....

Hmm, anyone can have an Aston. The things are ten a penny.
I want that Growler and preferably with Wilton carpets, burr elm fittings and Connolly hide seats, mainly because - if it were to be stolen - I could call the police and say "Hi, I'd like to report that someone had it away with my beautifully trimmed Growler."