Sling TV launched way back in January. Now that the service has earned some decent buzz, the Dish Network-owned streaming service is really working to deliver the package into many more homes. And to do this, Sling TV has created an ad that takes direct aim at traditional TV models, and in extension, Dish Network. You can check out the new advertisement, below.
The new Sling TV commercial pits the workers at “Old TV” organizations as bullies who force consumers into paying for a slew of channels that households really do not need or want. You see a curly-haired kid stuffing grass in a dudes face as he commits him to more channels. A suburban homemaker gets a wet willy as she’s told she’ll have to pay extra just to rent the cable box. At the end of the day, Sling TV is trying to prove it’s the better option for homes that simply need the internet to catch more than 20 live channels that can be streamed instantly.
The interesting point this makes, of course, is that Sling TV is directly taking a shot at its parent company, Dish Network. While the boxes in the imagery in the commercial are more about cable and Dish Network is technically a satellite service, it’s still a company that is based on a model that subscribers must pay for channels they don’t want to get the channels they do want. In a sense, the company is directly competing with itself with this imagery. Even the ad slogan for Sling TV promotes that with its slogan:
Don’t let your Old TV company push you around. Switch to Sling and take back TV.
The ad actually takes the same sort of tone as the Rob Lowe DirectTV commercials, featuring Meathead Rob Lowe, etc. that eventually had to be pulled after Comcast put in a complaint that the commercials were damaging their brand. This time around, it’s even weirder, though, since Dish is willingly damages its own brand.
Honestly, in the best-case scenario, this commercial will convince households who have already cut the cord to give Sling TV a try. It’s obviously not a bad deal. For 20 bucks a month, households can access some big channels, including ESPN, TNT, TBS, Adult Swim, History and AMC. It’s a good bet for households that really want some TV options, and especially for fans who want some TV options and watch The Walking Dead. Worst case scenario? Some Dish subscribers switch over to the cheaper streaming service, or, I guess, no one at all switches over and Sling TV's right hand punch at its parent company was pointless.
