Product Placement/Entertainment

Celebrity Seeding and Brand/Product Placement
The Business of Entertainment: Building Brands, Marketing Products

It's the Oprah Factor. Defined as the influence a celebrity has in swaying a product's success in today's marketplace. But how does your product get into the right celebrity hands? Fleishman-Hillard leverages our relationships with everyone from internationally known talk show hosts to A-list celebrities in television, film, and music to the top network and cable studios and production companies to place your brand in the hands of the right celebrity, film, TV program, or music video. These relationships, combined with our expert counselors in marketing, creative strategies, and digital communications, allow us to maximize the impact of celebrity seeding and brand/product placement with your target audience.

Our Industry Connections Deliver Results

To generate excitement and build buzz for The UPS Stores before its "peak" shipping month, Fleishman-Hillard worked with the producers of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" to strategically place the brand and corporate employees in the most anticipated show of the 2005 television season, "Oprah's Favorite Things." More than 30 UPS Store franchisees gathered in Chicago and served as on-air Santa's helpers, passing out Oprah's favorite things to the studio and showcasing The UPS Stores' holiday mission – packing, shipping, and delivering packages to friends and family. Publicity extensions of the placement included monthlong real estate on Oprah.com, including banner and skyscraper advertising, a redeemable coupon for The UPS Store services, and holiday packing and shipping tips.

Our Product Placements Build Your Brand

With DVR technology enabling viewers to "fast forward" through commercials and many consumers choosing to watch their favorite programs online, virtually skipping commercial advertising altogether, brand/product integration may be your best bet in delivering your message. Fleishman-Hillard can strategically place your product in the right shows — scripted and unscripted — allowing for maximum impact for your brand and providing implied endorsements that don't come with traditional advertising. One-time brand/product integration comes at significantly lesser cost than advertising, which is why companies like AT&T and P&G earmark budgets for integration opportunities.

For example, when "Dr. Phil" requested wedding gifts and money for a young couple who both had recent lung transplants, Fleishman-Hillard seized the opportunity. It was a perfect match for our client, Mirassou Winery's "I Do" campaign. Mirassou's spokesperson and celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss presented the couple with a $10,000 donation and all the wine for their wedding in a touching holiday episode that more than 6.5 million viewers watched nationwide.

• Celebrity-talent negotiation (event, brand, media spokespeople, and personal appearances)
• Product placement (television, print, radio, and online)
• Celebrity and influencer outreach (direct-to-celebrity mailings, award show, event gift bags, and backstage retreats/VIP lounges)
• Music and property licensing

One of the fastest-growing segments within the entertainment marketing arena is product placement or brand integration, as it is often termed. In a world where DVRs have become a staple of television viewing, this trend has been a welcomed response to reach consumers who have the power to skip commercials and, conceivably, thwart the opportunity to receive brand messages through advertising. As a result, clients are increasingly integrating their products into the content of a show rather than limiting their presence to commercials. Benefits include:

• Lower cost
• Significant increase in brand awareness via celebrity influence
• Perceived endorsement
• Authenticity