Thanks to politically active Santa Barbara doctoral student Lauren Copeland for sending the following story about the “California Cows” commercial controversy, which I covered HERE and HERE. In what should have been a “no-duh”, California is about to pass a bill that requires state tourism and agriculture commercials to shoot in California. Why is this even necessary? One would assume commercials for the State of California, home to Hollywood, would naturally be shot in the state. Unless, that is, they shoot in New Zealand–which one did concerning “Happy California Cows.”
And while the milk folks bent over backwards to justify the shoot and defend themselves, albeit with some good points (which I respect, honestly), someone over there should have been saying “so what! what the hell were you thinking?!” That they could not have foreseen the outcry over their decision to shoot in Middle Earth….well, the incompetence is breathtaking.
The AP article Lauren sent along reports:
SACRAMENTO, Calif.—Television commercials promoting California tourism and agricultural products must be filmed inside the state under a bill now going before Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.The Senate approved a bill Monday by Sen. Alan Lowenthal requiring that taxpayer-funded ads to promote the state also help boost California’s jobs and economy.
Democratic Assemblyman Ted Lieu of Torrance introduced the bill, AB1778, after the California Milk Advisory Board filmed part of a “happy California cows” campaign in New Zealand.
Lowenthal, a Democrat from Long Beach, carried the bill in the Senate, where it passed on a 24-12 vote without debate. It now goes to Schwarzenegger.
