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Our agency conducted a detailed survey exploring the best entertainment marketing strategies used by brands and agencies, and how receptive consumers are to these strategies. One of the survey questions addressed what the primary objectives of brand marketers were for product placement campaigns.
And you know what? Sales is NOT the number one reason why brands use product placement as a marketing and advertising tactic. But it does come in as second. In this blog, Hollywood Branded shares the top reasons why brands use product placement with film and TV properties.
The number one reason why brand marketers use product placement is quite frankly the best reason we know for it as well. At its very core... it is phenomenal for building brand awareness. By partnering with a movie, a TV show, or a music video, brands are harnessing a sexy star-powered property that brings a new audience to them, keeps them top of mind to already established consumer audiences, and also gives them this halo glow that allows them to stand out from competitors.
Yes, sales can occur and do occur from product placement. But it never should be the driving force behind a partnership, as there are just too many things outside of a brand's control to make that be the end-all-be-all. And let me tell you, we've had countless brands tell us that they want a Direct Response type of response from a product placement campaign... and unless it's a talk show partnership with some meaty call to action (aka discounts to die for)... the brand isn't going to likely see the sales results they are hoping for.
Instead, brands should leverage that brand awareness in the content vehicle to its fullest potential. How? By extending a partnership across social media, digital channels, retail, or co-branded advertising wherever possible... just like these brands did — which we discussed in our blog Brand Partnerships In Incredibles 2.
Additional reasons provided why brands partner with content included brand image enhancement, increasing recognition for the brand, and assisting with new market expansion. We often have brands come to us who are interested in opening new retail doors - whether in the US or in global markets. Product placement and brand integration make up one of the top ways to quickly bring familiarity to a buyer - whether that is a business buyer or a consumer.
One of the first things we ask new clients is what their primary focus and expectation is of our programs. That allows us to tailor specific campaigns and the overall program to meet - and exceed - that expectation.
As you begin to explore product placement or celebrity endorsement, ask yourself, what is your objective? By knowing that, you can determine the right partnership. Are you looking to:
Understanding your campaign objectives will ultimately help drive the direction and strategies for your marketing campaign.
Take a look at the infographic we built based on the survey's responses.
Look, realistically if you have no idea why you are doing a specific marketing tactic, you can't build your key performance indicators (KPIs)... and you can't create a successful campaign. A movie or scripted TV show or even a music video is not going to let you have endless messaging and a call to action to get people to visit your website. But a talk show will.
But if you are trying to just enhance your brand's image, you don't need a drive to a website... you need a hot property (or star) to align with... and that perception that your brand is "the chosen one" will provide you with the halo effect you are after.
After all, with no understanding of the goal in place, it's hard to hit the target or know if you have found success!
See more about how entertainment marketing has increased of the brands featured in TV and film in our infographic Product Placement 101.
Read our blog 5 Ways Brand Marketers Secure Product Placement To Increase Sales.
And check out these blogs on product placement as well:
Curious to see more from our survey? Download the survey results here below by clicking the image!
Topics: Survey Statistics, Product Placement & Branded Content
Stacy Jones, Hollywood Branded's founder and CEO, has over twenty six years of leadership experience building global entertainment branding campaigns for top Fortune 500 companies and hundreds of brands. Her career started after receiving her BFA in Theater Production & Scenic Design from the University of Arizona. Acknowledged as an expert in the field, she has appeared on CNN and MSNBC; spoken at conferences around the globe from Germany to Beijing; and has been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The Hollywood Reporter, Financial Times, The Economist, Brandweek, Advertising Age, Variety, B&C and Mediaweek amongst others. Originally from Texas, you will still hear her ya’ll as she gathers the team for strategy planning sessions. Like all true entrepreneurs, Stacy is an adventurer at her core – having sky dived, hang glided off bi-planes, swam with crocs while rafting the Zambezi in Africa, photographed grizzly bears in Alaska, trekked Mayan ruins in Belize, explored the ocean as an avid scuba diver, and who loves owning an advertising agency where she swims with a different type of Hollywood shark on a daily basis.
