Product Placement News

Beiersdorf Inc. Appoints Carat as Agency of Record in US

2010-03-10T02:03:50Z

Carat and Beiersdorf Inc. confirm Carat’s appointment as its new agency for media planning and buying services.

The appointment, announced today, is following a four month review process that select agencies including incumbent OMD took part in.

As its new agency of record, Carat, an Aegis Media Group company, will provide media strategy, planning and buying services for Beiersdorf’s NIVEA, NIVEA for Men, Eucerin and Aquaphor brands within the US. Beiersdorf will continue to work with OMD’s Green Room Entertainment for its branded entertainment initiatives.

Nicolas Maurer, Vice President of Marketing for Beiersdorf Inc. commented, “We were extremely impressed by Carat’s strategic vision and thorough understanding of our consumers’ media mind set. Through insightful targeting of our consumers, Carat will help us maximize our media investment and increase efficiencies. The full integration of our media planning efforts will build larger, even more breakthrough programs.”

Martin Cass, President of Carat, added “On behalf of the entire Carat team, and the Aegis Media group, we are delighted to be working with Beiersdorf here in the United States. They are a company that shares our consumer-led approach, and we can’t wait to start working together.”

Beiersdorf Inc partners with creative agencies TBWA and Draft FCB for its creative work.

About Beiersdorf AG

Beiersdorf AG, headquartered in Hamburg, Germany, is a leading international company of branded consumer products for skin and beauty care. Beiersdorf stands for leading international brands like NIVEA, Eucerin, la prairie, Juvena, Labello, 8x4, Futuro, Florena, Hansaplast/Elastoplast and Tesa, 125 years of experience in research and development, and strong international presence. For more information, visit www.beiersdorf.com.

About Carat

Carat, an Aegis Media Group company, is a global independent media communications network, with over 100 offices in over 80 countries. Carat provides a full range of services including media and market research; communications planning; media planning and buying; multicultural communications; corporate trade; branded entertainment; direct and digital marketing; experiential and sponsorship services; and marketing analytics and consulting. For more information, visit the company's website at www.carat.com.

Apple product placement dominated 2009

2010-03-09T02:25:45Z

Last year, the Apple brand dominated the product placement industry.

In the 44 films that topped the box office for at least one weekend, an Apple product placement was seen in at least 18 of them—that’s equivalent to more than 40 percent.

The statistic excludes several other Apple product placements in movies that did not top the box office.

Here’s a rundown of some of the product’s other movie appearances: Drag Me to Hell, Orphan, Hurt Locker, Its Complicated, Funny People, etc.

In addition to these movie appearances, Apple also had several placements on television, like on Jimmy Fallon and Regis and Kelly.

Iris launches branded entertainment arm

2010-03-05T01:28:57Z

Iris is set to launch its branded entertainment unit, which will focus on producing advertiser-funded content in several platforms.

Iris Studios will allow clients to be actively involved in the production process, as well as content planning and development process.

Iris’ executive director, Shaun McIlrath, will head the unit along with Henry Scotland, the company’s director of experiential marketing.

The new unit will have a new creative team, which specializes in television content.

The first project will focus on the second series of Sony Ericsson’s Pocket TV, a mobile branded music show that has live sessions and interviews with promising artists.

Philips partners with DDB to produce branded content

2010-03-04T05:42:35Z

Philips and DDB will launch a series of five short online films next April, following the partnership’s successful award-winning interactive film—Carousel.

“Parallel Lines” was launched the Philips Cinema website and on its respective Facebook page. The series will officially launch on April 8.

The series is the culmination of the work of five filmmakers from Ridley Scott Associates (RSA). These works include drama, action, animation, and sci-fi.

For Philips, the production marks the third consecutive year that the company has invested in long-form branded entertainment.

Booyah shows the future of smartphone product placement

2010-03-03T06:26:29Z

Real-time product placements can soon be generated through smartphone advertisements.

Booyah, a location-based gaming company, is teaming up with H&M to design a unique digital product placement campaign. Whenever consumers are near an H&M outlet, their Booyah game application will feature an H&M branded product. And if the consumer decides to show the featured product at the nearest store, he/she will get discount opportunities.

The deal will be beneficial to both companies. For Booyah, it will increase its consumers gaming experience. For H&M, it will give them accurately targeted product placements that can easily turn into instant sales.

If the formula works, other brands and advertisers are sure to follow similar product placement formats.

Russia has tight guard on television product placements

2010-03-03T06:18:19Z

Russia’s Federal Antimonopoly Service is focusing on product placement in movies broadcasted on television.

By Russian law, advertising cannot comprise more than 12 percent of air time. However, if product placement were to be permitted, this law would have to be modified. Or else, broadcasters will face penalties.

Selected product placements can also be penalized by the government. Prohibited product placements include alcoholic beverages.

Italian government green lights product placement

2010-03-02T01:22:48Z

The Italian government has approved a decree that will allow product placement in local television. A move that will benefit Mediaset, a broadcaster associated with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

The government also outlined some rules about product placement.

“Common rules are introduced for all services that broadcast images on any platform,” explained Claudio Scajola, Industry Minister. “European rules foreseeing more flexibility for advertising (are introduced), including product placement in TV programmes; (as well as) rules that strengthen safeguards for under-aged (viewers).”

Analysts say that product placement would be able to benefit Mediaset, because it is a top advertiser on television.

The Fireball Run Announces Affiliate Program Launch

2010-02-25T02:11:32Z

James Shaver, of the Adrenaline Partnership LLC, brand stewards of the Fireball Run Adventurally®, an annual 75 team 3500 mile enthusiast rally, today announced the launch of its affiliate program. “We believe this to be a first ever affiliate program for a luxury event of our type” said Shaver, Managing Partner, and retired CEO of BroadbandUSA. “We are taking a unique approach to branded entertainment by handing the “keys” to participation over to affiliates who reach our demographic and allowing everyone in the process to prosper from it.”

The affiliate announcement also marks Fireball Run’s return to an exclusive invitation only event. “Now the only way to participate in the adventure is through our affiliate partners,” explained Shaver, “this ensures affiliate partners are rewarded for their efforts. If you have a luxury or business based audience one simply needs to click on the affiliate link available at our web site, http://www.FirebalRun.com and sign up.”

Fireball Run is one of the largest annual motoring events in the country, named in honor of late NASCAR legend, Glenn “Fireball” Roberts. NOT A RACE, Fireball Run teams are playing an interactive adventure game, networking, and meeting with community leaders.

Fireball Run teams are also on a higher mission; recover America’s Missing Children. Each team is assigned a missing child. The child’s image and stats are affixed to the vehicle, creating a “rolling milk carton”. Everywhere teams stop, they ask, “Have you seen this child?” and leave a poster behind. The Race to Recover America’s Missing Children is the longest recovery effort for missing children in history.

“The Fireball Run is a people’s event, comprised of the best our country has to offer; leaders of community and commerce sharing their affection for the open road while aiding in an effort to assist others,” said J. Sanchez, an avid rally driver, retired Air Force Crew Chief and the events Executive Director. “The Fireball Run is a proud expression of automotive enthusiasm, rich in ethnic, cultural, and lifestyle diversity through both enterprise and community celebration.”

About The Fireball Run

The festivities start September 23rd in Lake Las Vegas Nevada and finish 9 days later in Wisconsin. The invitational has attracted teams from around the world to play the 3,500 mile, nine day adventure game. Notable entries include an all-woman Bentley Team, a Batmobile, a team of police officers, an 18 wheeler, and the Time Car from Back to the Future II.

Soap operas are the best platform for British product placement

2010-02-25T02:08:53Z

Britain is on for product placement. And according to research, product placements will make a big splash in commercial television.

Lightspeed Research investigated which programmes should contain product placement and 58 percent of participants said soap operas.

Only 36 percent of the poll participants said that product placement would affect their enjoyment of their TV shows. However, 81 percent of the poll said that product placements would influence their purchasing decisions.

On the other side, networks and producers are more than happy to welcome a new revenue stream.
The government has confirmed that it will legislate product placement. Regulators will come up with a list of prohibited products for product placement, including alcohol and fatty foods and drinks.

Source: MediaWeek

Moderati Rebrands as skyrockit to Become the First True Mobile Entertainment Agency

2010-02-24T03:15:43Z

Moderati, one of the original pioneers of the US mobile content business, is now officially rebranding itself as skyrockit to focus on helping its existing media and distribution partners as well as its new brand partners deliver winning mobile entertainment experiences to their consumers. skyrockit aims to be the first full-service mobile entertainment agency that delivers the entire suite of strategy, creative, production, marketing, and research capabilities to its client base.

“Our new branding reflects our unique understanding of tech innovation in Silicon Valley, our knowledge of media industry dynamics, and our experience with what CPG companies now expect in mobile; or as we see it, connecting Madison + Valley + Vine” states skyrockit CEO Jon Vlassopulos. “To date, no other agency has been able to deliver both marketing and monetization expertise to its partners. We see the worlds of media, technology, and brands morphing in very exciting ways in the coming years and we are positioned to help partners take advantage of those new opportunities.”

Since its inception in 2001, skyrockit has evolved from a mobile media distribution company that forged the polyphonic ringtone boom in the early 2000’s to a full-blown mobile entertainment agency working with brands such as vitaminwater, Virgin, NBC, and A&E Television. skyrockit has earned its fame by developing and distributing original content across platforms and carriers, including the Virtual Zippo Lighter for the iPhone, which has given rise to nearly 10M brand ambassadors in only a little over a year.

“It’s been a pleasure working with skyrockit to create this one-of-a-kind application," said Pat Grandy, Marketing Communications Manager at Zippo. "This branding exercise has been successful for us, as we’ve seen our Web traffic and overall brand awareness increase since the Virtual Zippo Lighter’s launch."

The agency has also won several awards, including the 2009 Mobile Marketing Association Award for “Best Global Display Campaign,” as well the MOBI Award for “Best Branded Campaign.” Their app was a shortlist finalist for the MIXX Award for “Best Mobile Campaign,” as well as the Ad:tech Award for “Best Mobile Campaign,” alongside Kraft, Pizza Hut, and Dockers.

A Media Partner that Builds Brands & Drives Business

skyrockit helps brands and media companies go beyond mobile applications and develop new business models. Over the past eight years, the company’s initiatives have resulted in more than $200m in revenue for media companies, recording labels, and Hollywood studios.

About skyrockit, a Bellrock Media Company

skyrockit is an award-winning full-service mobile entertainment agency connecting brands with consumers through engaging experiences. skyrockit draws upon its relationships with Hollywood, Madison Avenue and Silicon Valley to spawn massively popular initiatives for major brands, record labels, and studios. These initiatives have resulted in over 100 million pieces of content enjoyed worldwide.

The agency is a subsidiary of Japan's leading branded entertainment shop, Bellrock Media, with backing from Yoshimoto Kogyo, the agency that dominates talent management and production in Japan. skyrockit is headquartered in San Francisco, CA.

Add skyrockit to your next launch and defy gravity.

ZenithOptimedia launches branded entertainment unit

2010-02-23T07:47:56Z

ZenithOptimedia has launched Newcast, a division that focuses on cross-platform marketing and branded entertainment.

The America-based unit will be carrying similar units from Europe and Asia. By April, the company hopes that its coverage will extend to 18 markets.

“Newcast will create comprehensive engagement platforms helping brands to develop a deeper relationship with their consumers beyond the 30-second spot,” explained Dave Ehlers, the president of Newcast and the managing director of ZenithOptimedia.

Susan Joseph Smith—a senior managing director for Newcast, US—says that the company needs to expand its focus past the traditional upfront process. She is looking for opportunities that offer more creative freedom in brand messaging.

Coronation Street product placements are worth £330,000

2010-02-23T07:09:45Z

Experts estimate that product placement on Coronation Street is worth £330,000 a week.

Margaux Matris, a brand analysis firm, uses technology to assess brand exposure in sporting events to look at the appearance of products in television programmes to estimate their value.

The company analyzed the value of a week of product placements on the show. It also studied product placement opportunities for brand advertisers.

The producers tried to conceal the brand appearances; however, analysts still noticed six product placements, including a Nokia mobile phone.

The company said that cereal boxes, drinks, and toiletries, racked up three minutes of air time per week.

Experts use technology to analyse value of product placement in popular TV shows

2010-02-20T01:46:48Z

Experts have developed a system of analysing the effectiveness of product placement in TV favourites such as Coronation Street, Emmerdale and Big Brother.

The technology, developed by Margaux Matrix Ltd, is commonly used to measure brand exposure within sports broadcasts, but can also be applied to the analysis of the appearance of consumer products in television programmes.

This comes at a time when the UK Government has announced that it is to allow commercial broadcasters to generate much-needed income through product placement - thought to be worth be in the region of £150M a year.

This could mean that shows such as Coronation Street could soon be plugging Nescafe coffee in Dev’s Shop; Pukka Pies in Roy’s Rolls but not Carlsberg in the Rovers Return under current proposals.

Margaux Matrix analysed ITV’s flagship soap, Coronation Street over the week in February in which covered the death of character Jo McIntyre. As well as detecting all branding that appeared, they also assessed potential product placement opportunities in the show.

Despite the producers’ efforts to ensure no brands are visible, analysts spotted half a dozen genuine brands in the show, most notably close-ups of Joe’s Nokia mobile phone – clearly connected to O2.

However, it is the figures for properties that could have contained branding that will be of particular interest to broadcasters and advertisers as a result of changes in product placement rules.

Consumer products like cereal boxes, drinks cans and toiletries appeared for a total of over three minutes during the episodes covered, which Margaux Matrix calculates to have had a total value of £330,000 to advertisers.

In addition, many scenes on the programme take place within the Street’s retail premises – Dev’s Corner Shop, Audrey’s Salon and the betting shop were featured in this week, whilst scarcely an episode goes by without a visit to the Rovers Return. The company calculates that posters and point of sale items were worth an average £230,000 across the five episodes of the week.

Margaux Matrix has also assessed that the potential to advertise alcohol brands in the programme would have a potential advertising value of £181,000 a week or £9M a year. Under the proposed changes this is potential revenue that cannot be exploited.

“Our analysis system has been used extensively on programming from other countries where paid-for placement is allowed, giving the company extensive experience in this new area for UK broadcasting,” said James Gibson, Sales Director Margaux Matrix.

“It is useful for both the programme makers and the clients to make value judgements based on the actual exposure for brands monitored in the programmes. Placement is not new to UK TV but paying for it directly to the broadcaster is and therefore accurate measurement is essential which is what Margaux Matrix’s process provides.”

SKYY Vodka partners with Sex and the City

2010-02-18T06:21:20Z

There’s been a lot of buzz around the upcoming Sex and the City movie sequel, and brands and advertisers are quick to respond on the potential marketing benefits of the movie. One of these brands is SKYY Vodka.

The liquor manufacturer has announced that it has a comprehensive global marketing agreement with Warner Bros. Entertainment, making SKYY the official vodka of the movie. The company will offer limited edition bottles designed by Patricia Field, the movie’s costumer.

In addition to that, the company will also be using promotions, charity screenings, sweepstakes, and exclusive press kits.

Bradshaw introduces new rules for product placement

2010-02-16T02:18:45Z

Ben Bradshaw, the UK Minister for Culture, Media, and Sport, has announced that product placement restrictions will be lifted.

Bradshaw says that product placement will be allowed to provide meaningful commercial benefits for television companies and producers. He said that preserving the restrictions would be detrimental to television industry due to the recession. Bradshaw says that the government is here to support the industry.

The Secretary said that adopting product placement is necessary. He explained: “Not to do so would jeopardize the competitiveness of U.K. program makers as against the rest of the EU, and this is something which we cannot afford to do.”

Bradshaw also outlined restrictions, including the prohibition of product placements of alcohol and other selected food and beverage. These product placements will only be allowed in cinematographic works, films, and TV series and will not be allowed on news programs and kids’ programs.

UK producers are expected to start using product placements later this year.

Audi launches branded entertainment Webisodes for Olympics

2010-02-16T01:57:47Z

Audi will be broadcasting a series of Webisodes during the Olympics to continue leveraging its sponsorship of the US Ski Team. The auto manufacturer’s campaign includes promoting the shorts on Facebook and Justin.tv.

Each 15-minute episode will take a behind-the-scenes look at the team as it pursues the gold medal.

Last month, Audi ran a branded entertainment documentary on NBC about the ski team’s preparation for the Games.

The Webisodes will be hosted by two injured US skiers and will be broadcasted on Facebook, Justin.tv, and a US Ski Team site.

New Study Examines the Impact on Children of Food Product Placements in the Movies

2010-02-13T02:11:52Z

New research from the Hood Center for Children and Families at Dartmouth Medical School (DMS) for the first time sheds light on the significant potential negative impact that food product placements in the movies could be having on children.

The study, which appears in the current edition of the journal Pediatrics, shows that most of the "brand placements" for food, beverage, and food retail establishments that are frequently portrayed in movies, are for energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods or product lines. In addition, the study shows for the first time that product placements in movies may be a far more potent source of advertising to children in terms of food choices than previously understood.

"The current situation in the United States is very serious in terms of the health of our children, and we have to look seriously at all of the factors that may be contributing to it, including the impact of product placements in movies," says Lisa Sutherland, Ph.D. the lead author of the study. Sutherland says that the diet quality of U.S. children and adolescents has declined markedly during the past 20 years, and current estimates suggest that only one percent of children eat a diet consistent with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) My-Pyramid food guidance. Additionally, fewer than one fifth of adolescents meet the dietary recommendations for fat or fruit and vegetable intakes, and during the last 20 years obesity rates have doubled for children aged 6 to 11 years and tripled for adolescents aged 12 to 19 years.

"While the issue of food advertising and its effect on children has been well documented in numerous studies, comparatively little is known about product placement in movies and how it affects the food and beverage preferences and choices of children and adolescents," Sutherland said. The study notes that while there are similarities between television advertising and movie product placement, such as the low nutritional quality of the majority of branded products, there are also interesting differences. Recent studies that examined television ads during adolescent programming found fast food and ready-to-eat cereals and cereal bars to be the most prevalent during children's programming. In contrast, the Dartmouth study found that sugar-sweetened beverages, comprised largely of soda, accounted for the largest proportion of all of the movie-based food product brand placements, accounting for one of every four brand placements overall.

The study notes that of particular concern are the food and beverage product placements in comedies and PG-rated and PG-13-rated movies, which are often geared specifically to older children and teenagers, who are at an age where they are gaining independence with respect to their food choices. Although the impact of this type of advertising on children is not fully known, it provides a likely avenue by which brand loyalty and product preference can be built in addition to eating patterns.

The study also revealed that six companies accounted for 45 percent of all brand placements and included PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, Nestle USA, McDonald's, Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group and Burger King.

The study acknowledges that many companies have made pledges not to direct advertising at children in order to encourage healthier dietary choices, and that while this is a step in the right direction, more clearly needs to be done. In addition, the study's authors say that a number of studies to date that focused on other health-related behaviors, including alcohol and tobacco use, showed that movies contain frequent portrayals of these risk behaviors and often include brand appearances of the products. They say it is well established that children who view these risk behaviors in movies are more likely to engage in the behavior themselves.

"This is an area of study which clearly requires more research," says Sutherland who was part of a team of advisers that, in 2006, helped to develop the Guiding Stars program used by supermarkets to help shoppers better identify the nutritional values of food products. "At a time in their development where children and adolescents are very susceptible to outside influences, we have to carefully examine the influence of all the factors that are combining to create what may end up being lifelong habits around food and lifestyle choices. Certainly, food-product placement in movies is one of many factors, but it is one that may be far more influential than previously realized and perhaps the least well understood."

Co-authors included Todd MacKenzie, Ph.D., Lisa A. Purvis, MPH, MBA, and Madeline Dalton, Ph.D. all with Dartmouth Medical School.

Product placements can affect food preferences of children and teens

2010-02-11T06:53:35Z

Researchers say that product placements in PG, PG-13, and some G-rated movies have had effects in the food preference of children and teenagers.

Dr. Lisa A. Sutherland from Dartmouth Medical School says that there isn’t enough research to prove whether the effects of the product placements are good or bad. She says that this will be determined and analyzed in future research.

However, Dr. Sutherland did say that movies can be a source of junk food advertising, which can influence a young consumer’s food choices.

Dr. Sutherland is leading a research team to examine the prevalence of food and beverage product placements in popular films.

The findings were based on the top 20 box-office films for each year between 1996 and 2005. Among the 200 movies studied, Sutherland and her colleagues found that almost 70 percent had at least one product placement that involved food, beverage or a food retailer.

More than 30 percent of G-rated movies had a product placement, while 58 percent of PG movies had at least one, and a glaring 72 percent of PG-13 movies had one also.

The most common product placements were for candy, salty snacks, and other sweets.

Dr. Sutherland advises that parents should be aware the diet influences are not just limited television.

“If you're concerned about these ads,” she explains. “You should be aware that popping in a bunch of movies may not be any better than letting your kids watch TV.”

Source: REUTERS

Big bucks for British broadcasters from product placement

2010-02-11T06:40:41Z

British broadcasters will now be allowed to accept payments for product placements of branded goods. Most of Europe has already allowed the advertising approach, and now UK is joining the bandwagon.

Culture minister Ben Bradshaw seems optimistic about the move, saying that it is an
“important departure” for television.

Experts estimate that product placement will generate an annual revenue of £25m and £100m for each broadcaster.

However, it does not come without limitations. The government has made it clear that alcoholic drinks, unhealthy food, gambling, and cigarettes will not be included in the product placement lift.

Corus Entertainment launches W Movies, Canada's first movie channel for women

2010-02-10T01:46:10Z

On March 1, Corus Entertainment expands its comprehensive portfolio of women's specialty services with the launch of W Movies, Canada's first movie channel dedicated to women. Programmed exclusively with women in mind, W Movies will be the go-to destination for women looking for entertaining and intelligent films, seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

"With the phenomenal success of women-oriented films at the box office, coupled with the huge popularity of our film blocks on W Network, we know that women have a real appetite for movies," said Susan Ross, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Specialty and Pay Television. 'With women's movie services representing one of the fastest growing genres in the U.S., we are thrilled to be able to offer Canadian audiences the first dedicated movie channel for women."

Based on W Her Report research and the strength of the movie ratings on W Network, Canadian women made it clear that offering up smart, engaging films and TV movies are an entertainment must-have. Catering to Women 25 - 54, W Movies will provide viewers with access to great movies and movie-oriented programming, all day long. From Hollywood hits to Canadian films and critically acclaimed TV movies, the network will showcase films for and about women, with genres ranging from relationship, romance and comedy to drama and suspense.

With non-stop movies throughout the schedule, viewers can turn to W Movies on the weekends for celebrity-themed film events shaped around some of the biggest names in Hollywood. March features Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks from Friday, March 5 to Sunday, March 7 with titles including Big, Forrest Gump, You've Got Mail and When Harry Met Sally. Michelle Pfeiffer and Harrison Ford are the featured celebrities from Friday, March 12 to Sunday, March 14 with films including Working Girl, Six Days and Seven Nights, Dangerous Minds and What Lies Beneath. Gwyneth Paltrow and Ben Affleck are the star attraction from Friday, March 19 to Sunday, March 21 with Chasing Amy, Bounce, Shakespeare in Love, A View From the Top and Sliding Doors. Julia Roberts and Richard Gere wrap up the month from Friday, March 26 to Sunday, March 28 with Dying Young, Sleeping with the Enemy, Steel Magnolias, Runaway Bride and The Hoax.

Additional premieres in March include Once on March 2, Memory Keeper's Daughter on March 2, Tristan and Isolde on March 4, Mrs. Washington Goes to Smith on March 9, The Engagement Ring on March 11 and The Hoax on March 27.

Visit the W Movies website at www.wmovies.ca.

W Movies is owned by Corus Entertainment Inc., a Canadian-based media and entertainment company. Corus is a market leader in specialty television and radio with additional assets in pay television, advertising services, television broadcasting, children's book publishing and children's animation. The company's multimedia entertainment brands include YTV, Treehouse, W Network, CosmoTV, VIVA, Movie Central, HBO Canada, Nelvana, Kids Can Press and radio stations including CKNW, CKOI and Q107. Corus creates engaging branded entertainment experiences for its audiences across multiple platforms. A publicly traded company, Corus is listed on the Toronto (CJR.B) and New York ( CJR | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) exchanges. Experience Corus on the web at www.corusent.com.

Product Placements are now allowed in the UK

2010-02-10T01:43:08Z

It has been confirmed. Product placement is now allowed on British television after an announced legislation yesterday.

The ministers said that product placement will be able to revive the finances of recession-struck commercial broadcasters, making it important for media companies.

On the other hand, critics say that the audiences will be the victims of this new legislation. Viewers will now be forced to see advertisements on their favorite shows.

But British audiences are already familiar with product placements to a small degree. Of course, they are aware that product placements are a common practice in the United States (US). Selected British films also used this advertising method, most notably James Bond.

Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw was quick in assuring critics that placements of alcohol, tobacco, and poor nutrition foods will not be allowed.

Bradshaw also mentioned that BBC-licensed programmes will not be allowed to have product placements.

Bradshaw says that the new legislation is primarily aimed at benefiting commercial broadcasters, who need government support after a dry financial season due to the recession.

“'Adherence to our current position in which UK TV programmemaking cannot benefit at all from the income potentially to be generated by product placement would lead to continuing damage to its finances,” explained Bradshaw.

Source: DailyMail

Research and Markets: Now You See It - TV Program Sponsorship & Product Placement in China

2010-02-09T01:13:01Z

(http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/000146/now_you_see_it_t) has announced the addition of the "Now You See It - TV Program Sponsorship & Product Placement in China" report to their offering.

In Now You See It, presents the first independent investigation into the intensely grey area of second category or soft advertising across Chinas broadcast, film, new media and publishing sectors.

From official regulations to the reality of product placement in privately-funded TV dramas, Now You See It is the first report to reveal the operators exploiting these revenue streams and how they do it.

Now You See It reviews advertising industry growth and reveals how sponsorship became an ingrained part of Chinese media culture. With case studies, statistics and insight from the players, we will unveil the full extent of second category advertising in China.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

I. Introduction

II. MARKET OVERVIEW

    * Advertising Sector
    * Content Sector
    * Measuring Value

III. MARKET DYNAMICS: THE STAKEHOLDERS

    * Background
    * Agencies & Brands
    * Producers, Distributors & Broadcasters
    * Government
    * Consumers

IV. POLICY & REGULATION

* Background

V. NEW SARFT MEASURES

    * Advertising Airtime
    * Public Service Announcements
    * News & Current Affairs
    * TV Dramas
    * Banned Categories
    * Restricted Categories
    * Sponsor Protection

VI. PROGRAM SPONSORSHIP & PRODUCT PLACEMENT THE STAGES

    * Background
    * Production/Event Sponsorship
    * Distribution/Syndication Sponsorship
    * Broadcast Sponsorship
    * Post-Broadcast Sponsorship

VII. PROGRAM SPONSORSHIP & PRODUCT PLACEMENT THE GENRES

    * Film & TV Drama
    * Entertainment
    * Sport
    * Olympic Activation
    * Factual
    * Children
    * Transformers
    * Destination Sponsorship

VII. PRODUCTION SPONSORSHIP CASE STUDY: Ugly Betty

    * The Players
    * Deal Synopsis
    * Executive Interview: Arturo Cesares Cortina, Televisa
    * Executive Interview: Mateo Eaton, Mindshare Invention
    * Lessons

Skyya Communications Launches Product Placement Practice

2010-02-09T01:07:03Z

Skyya Communications, an award-winning full-service strategic communications agency with a fresh and innovative approach to serving the PR and marketing needs of global technology companies, today announced a strategic partnership with Premier Entertainment Services International to add a product integration and placement practice to Skyya's service portfolio by leveraging key relationships and offering heightened media value and brand recognition with major motion picture, television, and promotional opportunities.

Premier Entertainment Services International has over 22 years of experience bringing brand exposure to a wide range of industries including technology, food and beverage, and fashion accessories to production storylines. Premier has secured thousands of brand exposures and placements to date, worth more than $100,000,000 in media value. They have achieved fantastic results through their cultivated relationships with production companies, film studios, broadcast networks, premier celebrities and film crews.

"Known as having multifaceted specialized services, our partnership with Skyya Communications makes perfect sense and is a great accompaniment to a complete PR and marketing program," said Ward Larsen, Premier's manager of business development. "Product integration and placement is mission critical to any agency responsible for maximizing brand awareness."

According to a recent study in eMarketer on "US TV Trends: The Impact of DVRs, VOD and the Web," 43.5 percent of consumers who have seen at least one instance of TV product placement report "considerable" or "some" interest in this genre of advertising. Product placement ranked second highest behind billboards in generating consumer interest.

"Brand managers are increasingly seeking out product placement opportunities as the media landscape continues to change with increased media options, new digital technologies, and the growing persuasion of powerful celebrity influence," said Susan Donahue, managing partner, Skyya Communications. "We have been successful with numerous high-profile, high-impact product placements with Premier Entertainment Services for our clients on many highly rated popular TV shows and feature films. We strive to continually offer our clients the most effective and innovative marketing strategies. This new service offering will increase our clients' brand equity across multiple platforms -- TV, film, and celebrity events -- making product integration and placement services a valuable addition to their strategic communications programs."

For more information on how to maximize brand awareness and get your products placed on TV, film, or with celebrities, visit www.skyya.com.

About Skyya Communications:

Skyya is an award-winning full-service PR and strategic communications agency with a passion for helping innovative technology companies around the world achieve stellar strategic results. Skyya's fresh approach to serving clients leverages all the benefits of hiring in-house personnel or engaging a traditional large agency, while eliminating the drawbacks of each. With a service portfolio that spans public relations, strategic marketing, marketing communications, and corporate development, Skyya's highly experienced yet affordable professionals bring a wealth of talent, creativity, and commitment to technology pioneers and function as an integral part of their team. Core industry practice areas include: telecommunications (VoIP, mobile/wireless and networking), IP software/services and new media/marketing. To learn more about the brilliant people and stellar results that are the hallmark of Skyya's mission, please visit www.skyya.com.

UK government lays out product placement restrictions

2010-02-05T06:19:35Z

The UK government is reconsidering plans to allow locally-produced television shows to feature product placement.

The product placement ban will make it difficult for brands to be featured in TV shows.

Ben Bradshaw, the media minister, recently highlighted product placement restrictions in the Guardian newspaper.

Apparently, introducing product placement in local areas has been a very complicated process.

Reports claim that the latest restrictions will be disappointing to product placement advocates and advertisers, who lobbied for product placement because they needed extra income.

Andy Burnham, who was Bradshaw’s predecessor in the minister, was against product placement. Burnham believed that product placement would ruin the integrity of television shows.

W!LDBRAIN Inks Development Deal With Fuel Industries

2010-02-04T06:24:48Z

W!LDBRAIN (http://www.wildbrain.com/), the award-winning entertainment company and one of the world’s foremost producers of animation, has entered into a partnership with digital agency Fuel Industries (http://www.fuelindustries.com/), branded entertainment experts and creators of popular interactive brands, including AllGirlArcade.com (http://www.allgirlarcade.com/), to develop television, motion picture, direct-to-consumer platforms and consumer products utilizing the existing popularity of Fuel Industries’ entertainment properties.

“Fuel has a great body of characters and stories with limitless creative possibilities," said Michael Polis, CEO, Wildbrain. “As a company, we will strategically integrate the proven Fuel Industries branded properties and characters into our studio’s content and distribution businesses. Under this agreement, we are looking at a number of properties that have the potential to become sustainable franchises and growth drivers on a number of media platforms,” he continued.

“Our development deal with W!LDBRAIN, combined with their successful portfolio of world-class animation and family entertainment, is a major step in our company’s efforts to realize the full potential of our interactive properties,” said Mike Burns, CEO of Fuel Industries. “As a digital agency expanding into an original content creator, we are confident that our expertise in building audiences for brands will continue to generate success for our own IP.”

Current Fuel Entertainment (http://www.fuelentertainment.com/) properties in development and/or production at Wildbrain include:

AllGirlArcade.com – A rapidly-expanding tween girl gaming portal and virtual world (http://www.allgirlarcade.com/) (Spark City) based on Fuel’s ‘Clik Stars’ property. The property is currently one of the web’s fastest growing girl’s portals, and includes a vibrant social network and a host of original web and mobile games based on the colorful characters.

Fairies and Dragons – A property for kids 6-10 that appeals to both girls and boys through the unique combination of four fairies and their elemental dragon friends into a magical storyline that has already captured hearts across Europe as the world’s first Digital McDonald’s Happy Meal™.

Sideway – A property for teenage boys that captures the art, passion and individuality of the underground graffiti culture that lives within today’s urban youth. Sideway follows the adventures of Noz, a rebellious New York youth, and his mysterious journey through the wacked out realm of Sideway, a two-dimensional world that exists solely on the city’s walls.

Tetsurai – Set in a steampunk-inspired alternate future of clanking iron and hissing steam, Tetsurai is an engrossing property for teen boys that combines television, an MMO, an arcade fighter and a role-playing game in a dark, sci-fi package.

About W!LDBRAIN:

Wildbrain is an award-winning entertainment company and one of the world’s foremost producers of animation. The studio develops and produces television, motion pictures, short-form programming, commercial content and licensed merchandise. The studio has produced an exceptional slate of programming, including the critically acclaimed television series Yo Gabba Gabba! (Nick Jr.) and live touring show Yo Gabba Gabba!: There’s A Party in My City; The Ricky Gervais Show (HBO) and the hit Disney series, Higglytown Heroes. Wildbrain and its creative team have won top industry awards. In film, the studio won an Annie for its computer graphics short film, Hubert’s Brain. Wildbrain has received Clios, Addys, BDA Awards and Annies for their commercial work, reinvigorating classic brands for leading companies including The Coca-Cola Company, Honda, Kraft and Nike and has gained national attention for their animation work on behalf of Esurance, Ubisoft and Virgin America. Some upcoming television and short-form projects include Bubble Guppies, an animated series for Nick Jr., The Hard Times of RJ Berger, an animated series for MTV and Team Smithereen, the short-form stunt puppet show from Dan Clark. Wildbrain’s sister company, Kidrobot, creates limited edition toys, clothing, artwork and books, with stores in New York City, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami. Wildbrain is based in Los Angeles, CA.

About Fuel Industries

Fuel Industries is a multiple award-winning interactive studio that lives at the intersection of marketing and entertainment. With 100 employees and presence in Canada, the US, and the UK, Fuel has built audiences by creating entertaining online experiences both for major international brands and its own licensed entertainment properties. Fuel's diverse holdings include interests in game development, video production, sound design, social media, and mobile marketing. Passionate about redefining the interactive agency and inventing the future of online content, Fuel's clients and joint venture partners include Electronic Arts, Paramount, Fox, Microsoft, Intel, MTV, Vans and HBO. For additional information, visit www.fuelindustries.com.