ONE PIECE OF CONTENT IS DISTRIBUTED...EVERYWHERE
The convergence of traditional scripted and reality television content with digital is leading to too many platforms for advertisers to choose between. It’s becoming overwhelming to decide where to run a media buy. And there are so many more digital platforms yet to launch.
In this blog post Hollywood Branded looks at how Product Placement offers advertisers a solution to the clutter and fragmentation of television today, and an opportunity to create local targeted campaigns to their true targets.
The Viewer Benefit
For viewers, it is a fantastic scenario as they are able to watch content exactly when they want to watch it. There is no plausible way that someone can now say ‘there is nothing I want to watch” – based on the unlimited access through on-demand programming through cable providers or digital platforms. No longer are you required to be home in front of your television at 10 pm for your favorite television show. Unless of course you want to make sure you don’t overhear chatter at the office water cooler the next day, or see social media that streams during the initial airing time period.
And it’s no longer about being home in the kitchen, bedroom or living room – laptops, tablets and mobile phones allow viewers to watch content literally everywhere. From a plane, a train or even a car (hopefully not while driving.)
This demand is on the rise, and TV networks are catering to viewer requests, creating streaming content that no longer is pigeon holed to specific advertiser time blocks.
The Advertiser Challenge
Having TV programming that is available every minute of every day is a major issue for advertisers, as well as for content creators who are hoping to monetize it. There is such a glut of programming, that reaching – and engaging - a specific audience has become very hard. For an advertiser they are faced with the issue of not whether to advertise on TV – but more so where to advertise, as the audience is no longer watching on one platform alone. Buying a TV ad on the network doesn’t guarantee you an ad in the digital space unless additional dollars are spent. And the well of advertiser dollars doesn’t run all that deep.
Someone Has To Pay
For content to be created – someone has to pay. For traditional TV on networks, that is the advertiser. For cable TV that may be a combined component of both advertiser and viewer cable subscription. But both of those platforms are losing viewers at an astonishing rate as digital platforms make content even more available.
Selling the content for international licensing brings in additional dollars to the content creator to cover those production costs – but even content buyers are also looking for either advertisers or viewers to foot the bill. Making the issue at hand a global issue – with viewer tune in turning to alternative digital platforms globally. Digital platforms operate similarly to TV network and cable operators – either by viewer subscription or advertising support.
A Global Solution
Unless your brand is deep in the moneybags, it is impossible to take advantage of all the platforms a single piece of content may be distributed through. The exact same content is now often available through not only television networks, but also digital platforms that may be specific to various regions of the world. And the reach of this digital content is gigantic. As an example, Netflix which not only streams content from the major TV networks, also creates its own series and films. And it is now available in more than 55 countries including the U.S., Canada, Japan, the U.K., Mexico, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand, and is viewable on over a thousand different types of devices.
Yet there is a way.
As television content continues to evolve there is a major opportunity for content creators and advertisers to work together to deliver truly immersive content that is embraced by viewers. For a brand – especially one that is eyeballing international territories that wants to truly capture a WORLD WIDE audience - product placement and brand integration offers the first layer of building a brand awareness campaign. These programs can often be further built upon further to create allow a brand to advertise at retail or digitally in preferred local markets.
The Floodgates Are Open: Brands Welcome
History is being made. it's still the wild wild west to a degree, and brands have an opportunity to drive the conversationand result. Content creators have opened the floodgates as far as producing new content, further allowing advertisers to specifically target niche audiences. Brands now have the opportunity to truly become immersed in the process – and matter to those content creators who rely on finding new ways to monetize their production process.
Is Product Placement right for your brand? Watch this video to learn more about how this marketing practice works, what brand categories it works for, and the results brand marketers see!
