This article from today’s Observer newspaper blurs the lines between web series and online commericals, particularly in the casual use of sentences like:

Created in partnership with Burger King, the first video in this cartoon sketch series devised by Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane scored three million hits in two days.

Another example given of a web series, Easy To Assemble was created by Ikea. Seriously. Observer writer, Ajesh Patalay, describes it as “like an episode of Extras set in Ikea, with cameos by Jeff Goldblum, Ed Begley Jr and others”. I describe it as a freakin’ ad (with cameos by Jeff Goldblum, Ed Begley Jr and others).

Notable but somehow less disturbing is the fact that the Amy Poehler series, “Smart Girls At The Party” is “sponsored by Barbie” although this is more in line with traditional television funding (This also makes me think that Barbie herself has been getting her pink cheque book out. The series is presented by Barbie and sponsored by the Barbie® Brand which is much more plausible given that she is.not.real).

By the same logic, the Nicole Kidman Chanel No. 5 campaign is a cutting edge TV series. Perish the thought.