MTV’s newest series, Skins, is an import from Britain that is causing a fuss with its graphic
depiction of underage drinking, drug use and sex, which is pushing advertisers away from the
show’s time slot.
First Taco Bell, then General Motors and now Wrigley’s, a subsidiary of Mars, Inc., have pulled
their ads, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Taco Bell stated that the show was “not a fit”
for the brand, and Wrigley’s does not want to “endorse content that might offend consumers.”
“Thinking from the company’s standpoint it makes a lot of sense, especially if the brands that
were advertising want to be represented a certain way or with a certain set of morals,” said senior
accounting and finance major Adam Wilkinson.
Although MTV is under scrutiny with the Parents Television Council, which is calling for a
federal investigation of the show for a possible violation of child pornography laws, and even
with ads being pulled, the show continues to air.
“I think MTV is the kind of network that can take the hit and will use this to their own
advantage,” said sophomore mechanical engineering major Peter Lauer. “They’re getting a lot of
press from this show, the kind of press that they would not have necessarily gotten. I think it will
end up benefiting them in the long run.”
“It is generating a lot of publicity, so that is always good. You know the quote, ‘no publicity is
bad publicity.’ But, they are losing their key source of revenue, which is advertisements,” said
Wilkinson.
For now, Skins will remain on MTV because the network is choosing to stand beside its new
series and not remove it from the air, despite companies removing the show from their ad sales
lists.