There is no denying the digital video recorder has forever changed the way consumers watch television. More and more, viewers with DVRs are choosing to “time shift” their favorite programs to watch them at their leisure and, in some cases, skip the commercials.
According to Nielsen Media Research, household penetration of DVRs has risen to 30.6% in 2009, representing an increase of 18.3% in just over two years. Recent forecasts predict this number will rise to 70% in the next five years.
So in this new era of viewership, can marketers continue to effectively utilize television as a vehicle to promote their brands? Yes, but the association should not be limited to simply advertising during these shows. You should be exploring ways for your brand to play a starring role in them as well.
Through brand integration, marketers have the opportunity to incorporate their product or service within the storyline of a television program, feature film, web series or even a video game. By becoming a part of the story, your brand will create a stronger, more emotional connection with consumers than traditional product placement can provide.
The great news is brand integration opportunities are becoming increasingly more prevalent, especially in television. Networks are continuing to search for new ways to generate revenue due to increasing production costs and decreasing marketing budgets among advertisers. Production companies are interested because involving real brands in a scene provides authenticity in the eyes of the viewer.
Exploring and pursuing integrations for your brand can be challenging, even for those companies with previous experience in this area. Brand integration continues to evolve as networks, studios, etc. are becoming more willing to push the envelope in order to fund their projects. With this in mind, following are a few tips to consider should you decide to include brand integrations within your marketing mix.
• Be prepared to move quickly.
Brand integration opportunities can often become available at a moment’s notice. You must be ready to act swiftly if the integration is worthy of serious consideration. What is your approval process to move forward? How will you provide the requested props for the scene? If a financial investment is required, where will the funding come from internally?
Being prepared was a critical factor in a recent brand integration Barkley secured for Sonic Drive-In on the HBO show, Entourage. The producers were shooting a scene that involved Vince and his crew eating food from a QSR brand. They wanted Sonic for the integration but needed to have approval, food images and packaging delivered to the set within two working days. Barkley had all the necessary materials in-house, and the approval process for Sonic had already been established. Our preparation paid off as Sonic’s food and beverages were featured prominently during the episode, leading to tremendous exposure for the brand.
• Stay true to your brand.
Regardless of how compelling or potentially valuable a specific opportunity may appear to be, your first priority should be to ensure the integration would reflect positively on your brand. Take the time to research the property and understand exactly how your product or service will be featured in the scene.
• Be creative.
The byproduct of the recent brand integration explosion has been saturation. More brands are getting involved, thus making it more difficult to stand out and be memorable among consumers. Work with properties to create integrations that will be unique to your brand and potentially break new ground in the space.
• Integrate naturally.
As brand integrations continue to enter the mainstream, consumers will become increasingly more critical of them. The key is to secure integrations that feel organic and genuine to the viewer. If they appear forced or out of place, not only will this limit the potential impact of the integration, it may result in considerable backlash from fans of the property as well.
• Think resourcefully during negotiations.
Properties will always be interested in revenue they can generate through brand integrations. However, there are other ways to offer value beyond financial considerations. Identify existing resources you could engage to promote the property, such as in-store materials, product packaging or broadcast media. The economy is affecting their marketing budgets too. The incremental exposure your brand could deliver may potentially be more beneficial to them than dollars.
• Determine how the integration will be measured.
Define how the value and effectiveness of brand integrations will be evaluated prior to pursuing them. Currently no industry standard for measurement exists; therefore, many agencies and marketers are utilizing their own proprietary methodologies. Choose an approach that properly analyzes performance based on the goals and objectives established for the integration.
