1st Approach, 1st Choice for Effective Product Placement

In my recent media investigation of all-things-product-placement, I came across 1stApproach.com, a strategic marketing firm that specializes in product placement, branded entertainment and internet marketing. The company and its innovative strategies have been mentioned in several publications including Brandweek, C21 Media, and MediaPost. However, its Web site does not list any of its clients. While it does provide a few photos of its past endeavors including a Black & Decker Auto Tape Measurer in the once-popular Pamela Anderson sitcom, “Stacked,” and Country singer George Strait with the “Baby Bandolier,” without a solid list of clients achievements it is hard to associate any brand’s success with the firm’s work.

1st Approach’s overall strategy is to increase buzz for its clients with an ultimate goal of increasing sales: “1st Approach develops powerful celebrity photo opportunities, personal appearances and product showcasing that can establish your company as the choice of today's hottest celebrities.” Its plan uses 3 basic steps. Step 1 is “The A-list Events,” in which the firm promises to put your products in the hands of A-list celebrities in which it has connections with at such events as the Country Music Awards (CMAs), the Grammy’s, and the Academy Awards. Step 2 is where product placement comes in. In this step, 1st Approach puts your products on over 100 TV sets and 20-30 feature film sets in Hollywood. When your products are used in filming 1st Approach sends their clients regular reports and video footage of the placements. The last step is Internet marketing where the firm takes strategic steps to put their clients at the forefront of the Internet using search engine marketing, message boards and newsgroups.

Although 1st Approach doesn’t give a list of market-leading clients, it does give a list of credible publications in the media industry that have found them worthwhile to talk about. Its strategy also seems interesting and consistent with today’s new media marketing trends. For these reasons I suggest staying on the lookout for this company and where it will go next.

And the Oscar goes to...

Still deep in the award show season, I ofcourse had to watch the 79th Academy Awards on ABC last night. And yes, I did say last night. No DVR action this time. However, I must admit I don't have the greatest attention span, which probably explains my love for DVR and the power to fast-forward. So although I did watch the Oscars live, I can't say that I watch the whole 3 hour plus program start to finish. But in the select periods that I did tune in I was able to spot a few instances of product placement.

During the pre-show, "The Road to the Oscars 2007," there were plenty of shameless upcoming movie plugs and designer label publicity. Ofcourse, all of the A-list celebrities walking the Red Carpet were stopped by E! personalities and did the usual name-dropping. The typical "Who are you wearing?" question was answered with Calvin Klein, Versace, Vera Wang, etc. Matchbox Cars were also credited for being Leo DiCaprio's first commercial opportunity. Hundreds of other companies and films associated with the attending celebs were also mentioned over and over, aside from the nominated films.

The actual show, however, was pretty standard. I waited and waited to spot just one glimpse of an Aquafina water bottle or a pair of Nike shoes, but no such luck. But around 10:15pm I hit the placement jackpot when host Ellen Degeneres entered the audience and struck up a conversation with actor Clint Eastwood. In the comedic clip, Ellen asked Director Steven Spielberg to take a picture of her and Clint for her MySpace page with... dun dun dun... a Sony Powershot digital camera. Like hitting two with one stone. A few moments later, actress Gwyneth Paltrow graced the stage to present the award for "Best Cinemotography" in which she credited "YouTube" as making it possible for almost anyone to be a cinematographer these days. Aside from these satisfying few moments during the show I didn't note any more product placement. But there was probably about an hour of content that I missed, so I'm certainly not the end-all-say-all, which is fine with me. That 10 minute occurrence was enough to last me through the rest of the award season, but we're not done yet so stay tuned...

How To Reach The "Ad Averse"

As an active member of AAF (American Advertising Federation), I get the pleasure of receiving the daily e-letter AAF SmartBrief. Now usually I just scan the headlines and then move it to the trash, but today something caught my eye. The title of the newsletter, as well as the Breaking Story, was “Who’s not watching your ads?” This top story of the newsletter summarized a study conducted by Microsoft and Starcom, a brand communications group, called “Lifestyles of the Ad Averse.” At the end of the summary AAF reveals the source of the article, Mediaweek. The full article can be viewed by clicking the link.


In this article by Mediaweek’s Mike Shields titled “Study: Ad ‘Avoider’ Demo Tracked, Profiled,” it is revealed that 10-15% of adults aged 17-35 can be categorized as “ad avoiders.” This group generally finds all types of advertising just plain annoying, regardless of the creativity and relevance put into them. It seems that advertisers have little to no chance of winning over these media consumers. According to the study there are two types of ad avoiders: active and passive. Passive avoiders, typically women and parents, prefer activities that don’t provide advertising in the first place. Active avoiders are characterized as young male who are technologically-inclined and strategically choose media that has no ads: satellite radio, iPods and, of course my favorite, DVR! Some possible solutions to reaching this target group, as mentioned in the article, include customizing messages and making marketing tools interactive. But why not product placement? Sure it may be a simple answer and it may not be something new, but it does the trick in reaching those who purposely avoid ads. If it’s subtle enough it’s not likely to be considered intrusive and annoying. And if its relevant to the media that this group is already actively choosing to watch then it still gets the message across.

Desperate for Chrysler!

Here we are at another week, with another one of my favorite shows to report about. This week's pick "Desperate Housewives" on ABC. Now originally this show airs at 9pm on Sundays, but the roomies and I decided to wait until today to watch it, on DVR ofcourse. Why this time? Well first off, two of my roommates had a dance rehearsal, and with "Desperate" being one of our weekly rituals, I didn't dare tune in without them. Plus, I must admit we love having the luxury of skipping all of the commercials. We want the dirt on Wysteria Lane right away! Could be short attention spans- who knows?

So I must begin my report with that fact that I almost failed miserably in spotting any product placement in this week's episode. In the first, umm, 10 minutes? my roommate Sarah spotted a newspaper which we could just barely make out "The Wall..." on. We assumed it was a Wall Street Journal, but I'm assuming it was not strategically placed for marketing purposes. If it was I can bet WSJ may have a few complaints about that one. There were also certain products which appeared to be brand names but I couldn't be too sure. The lack of clarity, again, led me to believe these were not paid-for placements. For example, at one point Susan's now-fiance Ian held up what looked like a Swiss Army knife, but with no logo or name shown one cannot be too sure. In fact, if either of these were product placement they were way to subtle to even be worth the investment.

However, just as I was about to give up, I noticed Bree's son driving a silver car. Being the avid product placement spotter that I am, I rewinded the show to the beginning and after scanning through the entire episode once more I spotted the car at least 5 times. I could make out the Chrysler sign, but not being too car-saavy I had no idea what model it was. Turns out it was a Chrysler 300C. And after doing some google-searching I found that it has been the Van Dekamp family's primary car throughout all 3 seasons. For those familiar with the brand, the Chrysler 300C has gotten more than its fair share of prominent product placement throughout every episode, particularly this week's if you're alert enough to notice its presence in several of the scenes.


One last thing to notice is ABC's advertising of their Web site at the end of the show, in which you can watch full episodes for free. Curiously, I checked it out. The episode began by announcing that there were limited commercials in the online episode, which was sponsored by Sprint. Similar to DVR, you can fastforward and rewind through the show... except for at 3 mandatory commercial breaks (all Sprint) in which there is no way of getting around. Trust me- I tried. Even when you try and fastforward through the commercial, there is a timer, forcing you to at least see the brand for 30 seconds. Ofcourse this is not product placement, but it is another new media marketing tactic that I believe to be worth noting.

ABC Most Effective in Placing Products

In terms of generating positive brand opinion, it has been determined that ABC has integrated product placement most effectively in its programming. The data, produced by IAG Research, was presented in an article posted on MediaBuyerPlanner.com, a source of information and news events for people working in various media platforms. In the article, IAG names the 5 most effective product placements of 2006. Of the top 5, two of them were programs broadcast on ABC, with the number one most effective placement being ABC’s “Miracle Workers.” “Miracle Workers” was a reality show broadcast following patients undergoing major surgeries. According to IAG, CVS Pharmacy’s coverage of medication costs in the program generated the most positive audience reaction out of any other program last year.

Number two on the list was “ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,” another reality show in which a team of builders and designers completely renovates a home for a family in need. By providing necessary items for the makeover, from furniture to appliances, Sears generated high audience perceptions for the program. Numbers three, four, and five on the list, respectively, were GM automobiles in “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy” on Bravo, 7-Eleven convenience stores in NBC’s “The Apprentice,” and Saturn automobiles in Bravo’s “Project Runway.”

What’s interesting to note is that each of the top 5 winners are reality shows. This may be something that advertisers and media planners should keep in mind when planning their next investment. However, positive audience response and brand opinion are only one way in measuring the effectiveness of product placement. Others can include increased sales associated with product placement, or brand recognition. Still others argue over the definition of product placement. Some might argue that the “product placement” in the top 2 ABC spots are more sponsorships. With that said, I’ll be staying on the lookout for other “Most Effective Product Placement” lists for 2006.

Product Placement in the 2006 Grammy Awards

Last night marked the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. It was aired at 8pm on CBS. Unfortunately I was unable to watch it live as two of my weekly shows were on at the same time: Desperate Housewives at 9pm and Brothers & Sisters at 10pm, both on ABC. Instead, my roommates and I DVRed the Grammy’s and watched it the next day (today). Since we didn’t watch it live we had the option of fast-forwarding through all of the advertisements. Aside from recognizing a few familiar brands, commercials and celebrities while breezing through the breaks, advertising during the Grammy’s was pretty much ineffective for my roommates and me, and not to mention all of the other viewers who watched the award show through DVR.

Assuming that advertisers and media planners would anticipate this, I expected to spot a lot of product placement throughout the Grammy’s. Instead there were only a few instances where brands were displayed or mentioned clearly enough to be noted. First, singer/actor Jamie Foxx said, “That joke would’ve killed on BET,” after a weak response to his introduction. Samuel L. Jackson was shown in the audience wearing a Kangol brand hat. While accepting his award for Best Rap Album, Ludacris gave shout-outs to a number of radio stations, by name, in Atlanta, Georgia that played his songs. During Chris Brown’s performance of “Run It,” he and his backup dancers stomped on stage wearing Timberland boots. Lastly, and perhaps most significantly, while accepting their award for Best Rock Album, Red Hot Chili Pepper’s bass player walked on stage while sipping a bottle of Fiji brand water. Listing them off may make it seem like the Grammy’s was filled with product placement, but in a 3.5 hour show this is almost nothing. Plenty of time for strategic product placement went neglected. With the increasing popularity of DVR and the large audience base, you would think more advertisers would take advantage of this vehicle. Maybe next year…

The Future of Reverse Product Placement

One of the hot topics in the product placement world is the idea of reverse product placement. What is it exactly? It’s creating fictional brands in fictional media vehicles – such as films, video games, and television shows – and then launching them into real life. If you think it sounds crazy you might want to take a look at the Willy Wonka brand candy or the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., both of which began as fictional food brands in the movies, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory in its original book version) and Forrest Gump, respectively. With the idea of reverse product placement behind it both fictional brands became real and are still well-known in the marketplace today.

Reverse product placement is gradually beginning to make its mark. Every now and then we are introduced to new brands originally created for TV and video. Recently the Harry Potter movies inspired a new candy brand. Marketers now want to expand this idea and make reverse product placement a more comment aspect of new product launches. The video game market and virtual worlds such as Second Life have become viable options for possible reverse product placement. Tom Wasserman of Brandweek believes this may be because the products are already familiar to a wide audience and are to some extent already “real.” People already know their name, logo, features, etc. By introducing them first in a fictional setting, marketers can monitor the effectiveness of launching it for real. This may be a more cost effective way to innovate, research, and even market new products before actually launching them. It seems like a great idea, so stay on the look out for it.

“Real Housewives”, a Real Product Placement Opportunity

I must admit these are my favorite kinds of posts: keeping you updated on the product placement I spot during my favorite shows. The show I tracked this week is “The Real Housewives of Orange County”. It’s a half hour reality show aired Tuesdays at 10pm on Bravo, and it’s based on… you guessed it… real housewives who live in Orange County, California. It’s almost a cross between “Laguna Beach” but with a more mature twist, “The O.C.” and “Desperate Housewives” but based on a reality rather than scripted drama and comedy. With these ladies’ lavish lifestyles it’s almost impossible not to spot the expensive brands they flaunt in our faces. How much of it is actually placed for marketing purposes is another issue.

This week, characters carried their typical Coach and Louis Vuitton bags, cruised in their Range Rovers, Mercedes, and Bentleys, and sported their oversized Tiffany platinum and diamond jewelry. And viewers must admit they’re impressed, and some even try to imitate (whether they can afford to or not). Successful advertising? Definitely. Actual paid-for product placement? Maybe not. What was interesting, though, were the sponsors of this week’s show and the commercials for the products that aired directly after. From iTunes to Maybelline, these brands were definitely relevant to the show and advertised strategically. But some might say the show itself – product placement or showing off – is the strongest advertising medium in the 30 minute time slot.

Reaching Your Target

With the surge of new technological advances, the constant changing of media habits, and the time-crunching lifestyles of most consumers, marketers are finding it more difficult to reach their target audience. An article in OMMA, Market Target: Hispanic Women, states that marketers "must do their homework"! Its not enough anymore to cover the mass media with your media messages. These days marketers must find out where their target market is, what they are watching, and what messages associate with their values. The OMMA article discussed the huge market that exists in the US Hispanic population, specifically Hispanic women who tend to purchase the majority of items for the household. Many advertisers are beginning to realize this, spending approximately $3.6 billion dollars to reach them. By observing and studying them, marketers found that Hispanic women tend to be price conscious but brand loyal, and that the use of Internet in Hispanic households is increasing dramatically. As a result, many online servers are beginning to add Spanish language components and Hispanic lifestyle sections to their platforms. Young males are another target market that have become difficult to reach. An article from the online newssource Media describes them as "highly selective media consumers." Therefore, marketers must find ways to make them come to the brand, rather than waiting for the brand or ad to get noticed. A popular trend in reaching the young male market has been product placement in video games, as gaming has begun to overshadow TV ad their primary media use. Additionally, marketers know that men respond well to sex and humor, and so place ads in vehicles such as Comedy Central, Maxim magazine, and Desperate Housewives. Its knowing your audience that leads to effective placement and identifiable messages.

Podcasting: The Future of Business?

These days, new media seem to be emerging every which way. It can be pretty hard to keep up with. To be honest, I wasn't exactly sure what a podcast was until a few days ago. In fact, I didn't even know how blogs worked until I started this one! Well in order to catch up I did a little research on these so-called podcasts, and here's what I found:

I was first directed to the Edelman site, a company specializing in PR, and listened to a couple of the episodes from the site's podcast. The first one consisted of soundbites of Nora Gamin Barnes discussing her study on blogging. The study explored bloggers who write about business-related topics ,and their perspectives on the new media and its effectiveness. Another episode discussed a number of Edelman employees who volunteered in the clean-up efforts for the aftermath of Katrina. Both of these podcasts were completely audio. It was as if listening to a radio show. I found this podcast useful because unlike a radio show you have the option of listening to it when and where you want it. The Edelman Web page had lists and lists of possible podcasts with varying PR topics to choose from. Your pick! It also had the option of an RSS feed so that those interested would be notified of any new content published on that site that they might find interesting. Some of the features I found most useful were the option of sending in comments, either e-mail or MP3, giving the podcast an interactive and more personal feel, as well as the display of a timeline stating the topics to be discussed and the exact second they begin. However, being solely audio it could be hard to keep listeners' attention. I even found myself zoning out or doing other activities while listening to it, and was unable to give my full attention throughout. Not to mention the cheesy background music.

The next podcast I explored was hosted by AdAge.com. The podcast I found most interesting was "Why It Matters" hosted by Hoag Levins which discussed various hot topics in advertising. Two of the episodes I listened to talked about branded entertainment and consumer-created content. Each talked about different examples, how they evolved, how they are affecting traditional marketing and media, and what will they bring? I found these a bit more interesting to listen to, perhaps because it was an enhanced audio podcast rather than solely audio. However, the only added element of this podcast was the presence of accompanying still (and a few animated) photos; no video. But somehow having something visual to refer to made it a bit easier to tune into. It did lack a timeline, though, giving points to the Edelman podcast.

I mean sure they both lacked some useful element, but each had several bonus features that you can't get from traditional media: more control, convenience, interactivity with a business or industry. Ofcourse traditional media and information sources are far from becoming extinct, but new media like podcasts and blogs are definitely here to stay.

Seth Godin's Marketing Advice for Google

So I recently watched a video of Seth Godin speaking at Google. As the author of "All Marketers are Liars", which has recently inspired its own blog, as well as a man named one of the "21 Speakers for the Next Century" by Successful Meetings Magazine, Seth seems like a perfect choice for Google to invite to come inspire and advise its employees. What's funny is that Seth is the founder and CEO of a marketing company that has been acquired by Yahoo!, one of Google's main competitors. While Seth makes many references to Yahoo! in his presentation, he continually praises Google for its innovative ideas and technology, and ability to seemingly stay ahead of Yahoo! in the market. In fact he begins his speech in a humble tone, telling his listeners that he is "intimidated" to be standing in front of them and that he has "no business telling [them] anything".

The main message of Seth's presentation was that Google has found ways to exceed their competition and become a household name. He praises them for what they have done, but he also warns them of the dangers of success. With that said, he gives them tips on what he thinks will keep them at the forefront of the market. These main tips included building a platform for organic growth, the power of word of mouth, and the importance of offering products and services that are "on the edge," things that people choose to talk about. He then explains to them that these people they want to talk about them are just a tiny group of people within its millions of users. Its up to Google to "slice" the group to find these people who will in turn spread "idea viruses." THAT is how Google will stay great and continue to expand its success.

But blah, blah, blah, right? If you wanted to hear about any of this you'd go to a marketing or WOM blog. But we're here to talk about product placement. And as a enthusiast of product placement, the thing I found the most interesting about Seth's presentation was his emphasis on permission marketing. Make your ads personal and relevant. Send out your messages to people who want to hear them, when they want to hear them, and in the way they want to hear them. To me, this sounds like the epitomy of product placement. If the products being placed are relevant to the film, music video, TV drama that they have been placed in then the "ad" is being sent to the right people, in the right place. And, perhaps more importantly, it is not interrupting their media experience, and in that way it is precisely in the way people want to receive marketing messages. Maybe Seth's presentation was secretly praising product placement? Maybe someone at Google attuned to the same message I did while watching the presentation, and maybe product placement will become the cornerstone of Google's future marketing success? Maybe I'm completely off. But I knew you'd appreciate these insights. If you didn't you probably wouldn't have read this far into my post. What I do know, though, is that I will be on the lookout, more than ever, for the product placement of Google.