This Meal Is Brought To You By CBS

Just a few hours ago, his Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama spoke at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA. Among other things, the Dalai Lama spoke of peace and happiness that is independent from material gain, a topic that now seems ironic juxtaposed with the exorbitant ads and huge billboards that line Gillette Stadium and brand every inch of every object within that concrete maze. In a corner of Foxborough’s monument to ad culture stands one of the best (and biggest) examples of bizarre brand crossover I’ve ever seen: the CBS Scene.

I had never heard of or seen the CBS Scene until today, but I was surprised to learn that this three-story building isn’t a TV studio; rather, it’s an interactive restaurant and bar.

In a September 6, 2008 press release, the CBS Scene was described like this:

“CBS and The Kraft Group today opened the CBS Scene Restaurant & Bar, a three-story, 15,000 square foot one-of-a-kind entertainment and dining destination in Foxborough, Mass. Located adjacent to the New England Patriots' Gillette Stadium in the 1.3 million square foot Patriot Place lifestyle destination, the venue's spectacular views, upscale casual dining, and state-of-the-art technology ─ including over 135 SONY Plasma, LCD and graphic projector displays showcasing current and classic content from across the CBS Corporation ─ converge to create the next generation in media and entertainment.”

It seems as if CBS is trying to copycat the success of other entertainment restaurants like the ESPN Zone. Both of these dining establishments offer a variety of generic dishes while customers drool over massive plasma screen TVs and life-like High Definition displays. Indeed, the purpose of these restaurants is not to give its customers a quality meal. Rather, it’s meant to be an assault on the subconscious, an attempt to burn the CBS or ESPN way of life into the minds of their customers. While one eats at these restaurants, one can watch a sampling of the hundreds of offered videos and shows, all branded with those tiny logos and overt brand placement.

This entire foray into the restaurant business could be a brilliant move for CBS. If they are successful, customers will leave the restaurant with a new appreciation for all that is CBS. Maybe they order a couple of seasons of M*A*S*H on Netflix when they get home. Maybe they come back once a month to the CBS Scene as a special treat for the entire family. Or, ideally for CBS, maybe the customers return home and begin watching CBS broadcasting while they eat their homemade meals. CBS could very well be trying to give a stronger meaning to the term “TV dinner.”

I’m not sure if the CBS Scene will be a success; it has only been open for a few months. However, if it does manage to become financially lucrative, we could start seeing more and more displays of bizarre brand crossover in the future from every major network. Gone are the days when a TV company was just a TV company. Now, with the advent of convergence culture, these entertainment businesses are branching out into every business imaginable, trying to create lifelong brand loyalists who are willing to eat CBS meals and listen to CBS MP3 players while they watch CBS prime time broadcasting.

This huge jump into the restaurant business seems rather pathetic to me. In no way shape or form is it subtle or clever. Rather, it’s just a behemoth of a building attesting to our reliance on an ad based and branded culture.

And yet, as his Holiness was speaking, I couldn’t help be notice more and more people drift over to the CBS Scene. By the end of the day, a noticeable crowd had gathered by the bar. And while people munched on appetizers and drank frothy cups of beer, their eyes stay fixated on the giant flat screen TVs that line the walls.

As the Dalai Lama’s voice echoed through Gillette Stadium, bouncing off of concrete and billboard ads, these CBS Scene patrons continued to watch their sports games and reruns of once popular shows. I guess his Holiness’ message for a non-materialistic life fell on a few deaf ears.


Watch CBS Videos Online

Press Release:
CBS and the Kraft Group Open the CBS Scene Restaurant & Bar, a One-Of-A-Kind Entertainment and Dining Destination. CBS Scene Restaurant and Bar. 6 September 2008.
http://www.cbsscene.com/CBS_Scene_pressrelease1.pdf.