ABC becomes an ad agency for Sprint

This may well be an example of how far broadcast networks are willing to bend over backwards for advertisers during rocky economic times. Sprint is bypassing its ad agency and turning instead to ABC which is using Desperate Housewives creator Marc Cherry to make a series of spots for the phone giant. Entertainment Weekly, which had the scoop Tuesday, quotes Cherry as saying; “They’re kind of like the old Taster’s Choice commercials, but we added a lot of wicked dark humor, murder and adultery and betrayal.”The Housewives won’t appear in the spots but the two stars of eight commercials, which will air during the drama, will appear as background extras. This isn’t the first example of a cross-over between ABC’s stars and the commercials that run in between. Private Practice actress, Kate Walsh appears in spots for Chrysler while Grey’s Anatomy’s Sara Ramirez stared in an Oscar spot for beauty brand, Dove.