Posts Tagged ‘embedded marketing’

Streamed TV Proves a Hit – with Traditional Advertising Surely its Casualty

Feb 12

Streamed entertainment is proving to be a popular hit with UK viewers. But what does this mean for advertisers now that more people are skipping the ads? Step in Product Placement: the advertising alternative that won’t become a casualty of the fast-forward button.

ITV Player, BBC iPlayer, 4oD and other TV and film streaming services are, according to KPMG research, becoming more ‘mainstream’ in the UK, with more users willing to pay for them.

The audit and tax advisory giant’s bi-annual Media and Entertainment Barometer, based on a YouGov survey of just over 2,000 Britons aged 16-plus, revealed the popularity of streamed TV, especially amongst the younger generation. 90% of those surveyed in October 2011 were aware of BBC iPlayer; 79% had heard of ITV Player and 65% knew of LoveFilm. 68% actually used the BBC’s streaming service, a rise of 5% in six months, and 36% were regular users of ITV Player, up 4% in six months.

Britons Increasingly Willing to Pay for Streamed Entertainment

The study showed that Britons are increasingly willing to pay for streamed entertainment; 30% will fork out for paid TV content and 64% for films.

David Elms, head of media at KPMG said: “Not only is awareness and usage of streaming high, but willingness to pay for content has increased too.”

So with the rise in popularity of ‘viewer-controlled’ entertainment, brands will surely be seeking an alternative advertising strategy that is safe from the fast-forward button. This is where the benefit of embedded advertising comes into its own: where brands become part of the entertainment, rather than a tea-break phenomenon, or a casualty of the ad-break skipper.

Brands Become New Stars of Music Videos

Jan 10

Diet Coke, Sony, dating site Plenty of Fish and Wonder Bread are just some of the brands to play the latest leading roles in a selection of music videos, and, according to PQ Media, the trend is set to grow rapidly, bringing high returns on investment for brand owners.

Britney Spears’ video for hit ‘Hold it Against Me’ featured Plenty of Fish, Make Up For Ever and Sony. Lady Gaga’s video for ‘Telephone’ presented viewers with Virgin Mobile, Polaroid and of course, Diet Coke – aka the eccentric pop star’s ‘hair roller’.

Deborah Posner is an advertising instructor at The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. She says that since music audiences have migrated from TV to internet, advertisers have been able to glean more out of the available marketing space in music videos.

Permanent Advertising: Embedded Marketing Never Disappears

Because products placed in a music video never disappear, as long as the video exists, so does the advertising campaign. “[This permanence] is unlike most other ads which may be played before or after a video, or displayed alongside it only for a certain number of times or views. True embedded marketing does not disappear,” says Posner.

Music videos are particularly influential amongst a younger audience and so brands longing to woo the 18-35 year old demographic are taking full advantage. Posner says product placement promotes consumer identification, interaction and conversation around a brand.

Here is a selection of recent music videos using product placement advertising, including the infamous Gaga ‘hair roller’, courtesy of Diet Coke.