When The Brand Is The Show: The Future Of TV Advertising

摘要

The lifeblood of commercial television—the commercial itself—is facing uncertain times. Confronting the public's mass consumption of TiVo and other commercial-skipping devices, broadcasters are experimenting with other means of bringing in much-needed value. Earlier this television season, viewers of NBC's The Restaurant were bombarded with brand impressions of American Express, Mitsubishi Motors, and Coors Brewing—not during commercial breaks—but within the show itself. The reality program from executive producer Mark Burnett (Survivor and The Casino) ran without commercial interruption. Instead, the entire show was a commercial of sorts; sponsorship came from the above mentioned companies in exchange for prominent placement within the body of each episode. This is not a revolutionary concept in itself, but you can bet that product placement in television heralds the start of a new era.