Sunday Morning I'm channel surfing and see a commercial for GE Aircraft Engines. Who the hell are they marketing to? Maybe for the odd chance that the CEO of Lockheed is watching? Can any of you Marketing and Sales people explain this?

Investors.
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Agreed -- investors and other monied individuals whose only major network TV watching during the week are the Sunday morning political shows. Most of these ads are so-called "institutional" ads, aimed more at putting a bright light on the sponsoring company than to market products. You'll also see these ads prominently during the day on CNBC.

This used to be fairly common. When WJR was THE radio station that "movers and shakers" in the automotive industry listened to, you'd hear ads for such companies as Illinois Tool Works and other companies that purchasing agents and the like might consider as a parts or supply source.

I remember the ITW ads being fairly clever, demonstrating through the use of humor "That you're never more than a few feet away from a product of ITW."

It really isn't any different than the ads we get out here in Central Washington for pesticides and other chemicals pitched at farmers. Different industry, same idea.....

Whatever happened to the GE engine they called the 'Whisperjet'? This was featured in some GE ads about 20 years ago 'We are the song of surprise; the whisper in the skies'.

This was what was technically called an 'unducted fan' or UDF engine. I haven't seen any recently.