Companies Seek Brand Recognition Through Commercials Within TV Shows, Video Games

As public households begin to increasingly rely on DVR to skip commercials and ad-blocking software to block ads from appearing on their browsers, brand owners have had to adjust and come up with new ways to grow their brand recognition among consumers.  In order to do this, marketing campaigns have begun to include their products into the content of the television series or video games themselves. 

Was that a Commercial in My TV Show?

Instead of going the traditional route of buying segmented advertising time for commercials to air in between broadcast programming, technologically savvy brands have begun to include their brands and logos in the actual content of video games and television shows.  While this is not exactly a new route for advertisers to go as “product placement” has long been a mainstay for advertisers in the use of motion pictures, the use of video game characters, television characters, or television reality stars interacting with the actual products is relatively new.

For instance, Coca-Cola was able to sign an incredibly lucrative advertising campaign with Netflix’s popular original series, “Stranger Things” to have the Stranger Things characters not only drink the soda in the series, but actually praise and debate the taste of “Classic” Coke versus “New” Coke, which was a historically accurate product offering that would have debuted during the time that Stranger Things is set during.  

Reality TV and In-Show Advertising: Viewers Point Out the Fake 

Other examples of similar approaches to product placement with newer technological avenues include marketing in reality television shows as well.  For example, BravoTV, a television channel that is a subsidiary of NBC and well-known for its “Real Housewives” series also includes in-show advertising.  For example, last season, Bravo’s “Real Housewives of New York” had housewives discussing purchasing tickets to see a movie and had the housewives discussing onscreen what aspects of the movie they enjoyed most.

The reaction to such marketing was mixed, however, as many viewers took to the Internet to express their displeasure with what they saw as insincere content in purportedly “reality” television shows as such scenes would have had to have been staged beforehand with predetermined talking points because the filming of the series would not have lined up with the actual premiere of the movie.  As such, even though the later airing of the series did line up with the premiere of the movie, the filming of the housewives discussing the movie could only have been faked.

Commercials & Advertising Integrated into Video Games as Part of the Total Game Experience

Despite the criticism some get, big brand names continue to dive into similar marketing tactics.  In the video game realm, famous fashion brands Louis Vuitton and Moschino have released downloadable content for sale in popular video games like League of Legends and The Sims 4, respectively.  Louis Vuitton went further and announced that they would be continuing a partnership with League of Legends into 2020, agreeing to design the Paris Championships’ trophy case in addition to the virtual packs of Louis Vuitton luxury skins available for purchase in game.  Most recently, Stranger Things also partnered with popular video game, “Dead by Daylight” to also offer in-game purchasable content, a partnership that proved incredibly successful as it was available to two different audiences to their respective products.

Changes in Company Advertising Trends Could Necessitate Legal Protection

As reality TV, e-sports, and video games continue their meteoric rise in the entertainment industry, experts in marketing appear to be guiding brand owners to recognize the potential for introducing advertising and commercials within video games and television shows. However, with new marketing tactics, companies should also contemplate the potential response from viewers and consumers and consider legal safeguards when entering new territory. While brands might be able to obtain great exposure, the wrong kind could be damaging.

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