Digital Thoughts - The Moment of Truth

The Moment of Truth

by Editor

In case you want to know, the title of this week's article does indeed refer to the television show of the same name. Based on last weeks data from Nielsen Media Research, we can assume that more than ten million people watched "The Moment of Truth" this evening, which will place it in the Top 10 most watched shows with a rating somewhere between seven and eight. You might wonder why an Internet advertising newsletter, especially one so typically focused on direct topics relevant to direct marketing and/or trends shaping the industry, would lead with a story about a reality TV show, especially one not named "American Idol," not to mention the fact that the writers' strike has ended. The reason? After about five minutes of the eighteen I saw, "The Moment of Truth" could just be the best show on TV right now. It is truly brilliant. Don't let its rating of 2.2 stars on zap2it.com steer you otherwise; or, perhaps, let that abysmally low user ranking entice you further. As a fellow human, you will find the show exactly as the producers, creators, and editors want you to - compelling and disgusting - like Howard Stern who has just as many detractors listening as fans. Is Howard Stern / "The Moment of Truth" dumb? Evil? Staged? Doesn't matter. Forget the human element inside you that might attract you or the rationalist element that distances you from it. Instead, watch with your marketer's hat on, and nothing will look the same.

While on average only seven percent of television viewers watch the show, I would wager than more than double have at least heard of the show, whose premise is so simple, yet executed with heroin addictiveness. If you rank among the 86-percent of television households that potentially has no familiarity with the show, we present the well-summarized description from zap2it, "Contestants submit to a lie detector test for a chance to win half a million dollars by truthfully answering 21 personal questions, which become increasingly sensitive as the dollar value mounts." Or, you can opt for the version on the Fox homepage which reads, "Just tell the truth! That's all you have to do! Free money!" This latter unsettling description, actually tarnishes the value of what the talented staff has created; although two-thirds of it can be used for half of Fox's other shows, e.g. "Be smarter than a 5th grader/Don't forget the lyrics/etc.! That's all you have to do! Free money!" Back to the structure, though. In my consumption of one-third of an episode, you learn that contestants answer fifty odd questions, from which the 21 on-air ones come. If you have watched Howie Mandel and "Deal or No Deal", this show employs many of the same structural techniques.

Like "Deal", "Moment" also features primarily a one-on-one interaction with host and contestant with the contestant advancing through tiers or rounds of a particular task to earn more money. In the case (no pun intended) of "Deal" this means picking a certain number of cases before deciding between an offer based on the amounts remaining, or with "Moment" answering a certain number of questions truthfully, as judged by a polygraph reader. New to this crop of shows are the inclusion of instigators, our term, advisers as the show might call them. With "Deal" this group gets consulted at key decision points and has the opportunity to voice their opinion of whether the contestant should continue or accept a buyout offer. There's nothing quite like a little kid telling his parent to stop only to watch them leave with less than half what of they could have. "Moment" takes "Deal's" supporting characters and gives them a more prominent role, sitting on stage facing the potential truth teller and heart breaker. The spouse of the contestant even has the ability to use a skip this question button once during the game. Host Mark Walberg (not the Entourage producing, movie acting, and shirtless music video dancing one), couldn't fit the part better of questioner, understanding friend and quiet controversy stirrer to the surprised and often angry and disturbed inner circle of aforementioned spouse/significant other, best friend, sibling, and parent. As the show description adds, "This is the only game show where participants know both the questions and the answers before they begin to play. Prior to playing, participants are strapped to a lie detector and asked a series of questions by a polygraph expert, who records their answers. At any time, between the polygraph and the televised game, participants can change their answers or walk away from the competition."

"Moment" follows in a long line of shows to feature the use of a lie detector, but it is the first to use it as the catalyst and arbiter in such a highly formulaic masterpiece of emotion marketing. And, that is the true power of the show, emotion. It's a show which uses reason and truth as a facade for some of the most sophisticated sculpting of emotion. And Walberg plays the role of glue perfectly, asking such baited questions to contestant and nervous spouse as, "Do you have the stomach to continue? As a married couple of only two years is it wise," only to see the attention happy, money earning one say, "We're going for it" to the dismay and no-win situation entering significant other. Take for example some questions that exemplify the show, such as these asked to the rather striking looking 27 year-old wife of two years. "Prior to your marriage, have you had sex with a married man?" "Do you find it hard to be faithful to your husband?" Or, if you listen to the teaser for next weeks' finale and continuation of the game for this perfect contestant, "Watch as housewife Angela [] destroys her marriage one question at a time. We've definitely saved the worst for last!" What will you hear? Well, this is the "woman everyone is talking about. And, you won't believe what she is willing to say to get $500,000!" That means answers to questions including "Have you ever had a man in your house you didn't want your husband to know about?" "Have you ever done something while your husband is away on business you feel guilty about?" "Have you ever regretted marrying your husband?" Don't let me ruin it for you, but the answer will be yes to all of them. Just as the contestant before him answered these masterpieces of emotional extraction in front of his sweet and gorgeous girl, "Have you had sex with more than 100 people?" And, "Have you ever been paid for sex?" Notice the questions and how they evoke maximum effect within our societal restraints. It's not accidental. They couldn't ask the girl some of the questions they could the guy.

It's worth repeating. Moment is genius of a show. It's "Jerry Springer" for primetime and everything that is right with the creation of broadcast content. It makes for decent snippets and will get some play on You Tube, but it works best sitting there watching on as big a screen as possible, with as many people with you as possible. Thinking of it as reality TV is wrong; although, it's just what the show wants you to do, as we, the individual watchers, are their audience. Asking questions about regret or guilt, it's like talking about the three sentence Fox description. It doesn't matter what the subject of the question is. Everyone has regrets, doubts. That's what makes us human. It's also what makes fortune cookies and psychics often correct. And, it's why reading the questions being asked won't do anything, but experiencing the formula at work makes all the difference. That's when it becomes personal, when we can envision ourselves in the role of victim learning things we didn't want to know about someone we love(d). It's "Moment's" ability to create a shared emotional experience to someone just watching at home that makes it a winner. It also shows us true insight into relationships and how they impact our attitudes of others' actions - the shocked but never judging friend, the trying to be accepting parent, the sad, angry, heart-broken partner. The role matters and the balance of the roles balances the formula - all with no user-generated content or voting. It's the definition of hooked. Ultimately, as Napoleon Hill would write about the show to marketers - If you can tease out the underlying elements, you will become rich yourselves. Plus, you won't have to answer revealing questions about yourself on TV to do so. While I love it, I'm not sure I ever want to watch any of it ever again.

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