In-show advertising is as old as late-night itself, but as shows face declining ratings and shrinking budgets, sponsored content (or “brand activations,” as they’re called in marketing circles) has become increasingly common and, at times, more elaborate than ever before. In this recurring feature, we keep tabs on how late-night shows are working to wed commerce with comedy.
Seth Meyers drafted his trusty cue card guy for Late Night with Seth Meyers’ latest piece of spon-con.
Wally Feresten—Meyers’ real-life staffer who has become a regular on-air fixture of Late Night—takes centerstage in a new in-show advertisement for Ray-Ban and Meta’s AI-powered glasses.
Returning from his first commercial break Tueday night, Meyers explained to viewers that he had equipped Feresten with a pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses to learn more about his colleague, who has remained a bit of a mystery to him despite their decades-long relationship that began on Saturday Night Live.
“I enlisted the help of a pair of Ray-Ban Meta glasses, and Wally shot a couple of clips during his day,” Meyers announced before airing what Feresten had recorded. (Ray-Ban and Meta’s smart glasses boast a built-in camera that allows the wearer to capture photos and videos, make video calls, and stream live to Facebook and Instagram.)
Feresten’s POV videos, however, only left Meyers with more questions about the apparent life of luxury his cue card handler has been living. The smart glasses revealed that Feresten enjoys a daily double-lobster lunch (paid for by the show), dons a tuxedo as his “street clothes,” and just bought himself a helicopter.
“Your average day is not what I expected,” Meyers told Feresten. “But thanks to the Ray-Ban Meta glasses, we got a front-row seat.”
“How much money do you have?” Meyers eventually asked.
“Once again, you’re missing the point,” Feresten replied after taking a phone call with his glasses. “Oh, wait. No you’re not. The point is, I have a ton of money. But I did also take that call with a tap of my finger.”
“These AI glasses are clearly iconic style meets cutting-edge tech,” Meyers concluded as Ray-Ban and Meta logos appeared onscreen.
