Since I wasn't able to work in the archive until the end of last week, I watched a decent amount of TV in the afternoons when I would otherwise have been working, and most of the time, I watched the sports channel. Russian TV (at least with regard to sports) seems to have a different commercial system than in the US; they don't have TV timeouts or anything like that during their sporting events, so there aren't really commercial breaks. They make up for that with very long commercial breaks at halftime or in other natural breaks. It's a nicer system for the viewer, and probably less profitable for the broadcaster.

Anyway, they also seem to have a much more limited variety of commercials, such that this video of one commercial break probably shows 70% of the commercials I've seen on this channel since I got here. Some of them are kind of amusing, so I thought I'd let you guys have a look. Despite the number of times I've seen them, I still have trouble with the language on a few, so I guess it goes to show how much I still have to learn. Subtitles after the link. You'll probably also have to turn your sound up quite a bit.


Commercials


Commercial 1: Beeline (mobile telephone provider)

You get an SMS, and you're already smiling. Then you impatiently wait for another. And with each new message, you feel his presence more and more. Now that an SMS costs only 1 kopeka (about 1/30th of a cent), how easy it is to always be close by! Learn more and sign up at 06 505. Beeline. Live on the bright side.


Commercial 2: LG Arena (cell phone)

The new LG Arena. The arena of your possibilities.


Commercial 3: McDonald's (my favorite of the bunch!)

"Do you want to know why our sandwiches are so good? Come with me. Good taste starts with quality ingredients. For our sandwiches we take only 100% beef, [something i can't understand], salt and pepper. That's where that special taste comes from (literally "is born")." "Here's your Big Mac." "How's the Big Mac?" *thumbs up* "We make hamburgers and we make them well."


Commercial 4: Orbit gum

"Look, Zitya(?)...the Southern Cross." "You're so smart...Kolya." "Kolya?! I'm Junior(?)!" Snow-white Orbit, [something about how it'll make you have a great smile]. "Kolya...(I'm really not sure what he's saying here, but the idea's obviously that the smile has made him ok with this situation) . Snow-white Orbit: a blinding smile and defense against cavities.


Commercial 5: Megaphone (another mobile telephone provider)

A special offer from Megaphone. A USB modem with the USB Modem Plus plan, at great prices starting at 1190 rubles (~40 dollars). The USB Modem Plus plan is a USB modem service at a special rate. The USB modem works effectively on many 3G networks, like with current mobile network connections. USB Modem Plus -- the speed and freedom of mobile Internet. Megaphone -- the future depends on you. (I've always thought that was a ridiculous slogan, personally)


Now local commercials...


Commercial 6 (Bosch Center):

The company store, Bosch Center. The greatest selection of electrical instruments, garden tools (not really "tools", but power stuff, like lawnmowers and such), and a new level of service. At 26 Herzen St., at the crossing of Herzen and Krasnoarmeiskaya (Red Army St.).


Sort-of-Commercial 7:

Wanted: A trained enthusiast in the field of welding. Higher education. Pay starting at 30,000 rubles (presumably per month, that's about $1000).


Commercial 8 (Instrument Market):

Modern technology for forest, park and garden. (This part is frustrating because I have no idea what any of the words are, except that one of them is lawnmower, and the rest are obviously similar things, so I guess you get the idea). The shopping center "Instrument Market" on Irkutskii Trakt, telephone 65-15-70.


So maybe these give you a slice of life in Tomsk. Or maybe they bore you like American commercials. In the end, they're really not very different from ones at home. I guess the reason I'm so amused by that McDonald's commercial is because it actually *is* very different from the commercials we're used to, probably because we can't help laughing at the idea that McDonald's makes quality hamburgers, but not to worry, Russian TV has some "I'm lovin' it" style commercials that are meant to appeal to "the youth", as well. There's one where a DJ is in the club, looking kind of uninspired, but then he sees a guy eating a Big Mac and puts on an awesome techno song about how good Big Macs are. So it's too bad that one wasn't in this clip, except that I hate it and wouldn't be able to understand the words in the rap anyway.