NBC is investigating the possibility of creating content specifically centered around sponsored products. Done properly, this could be very effective. Product placement is something I can get behind if its either very subtle, or moderately overt. Like the article says, BMWfilms is a perfect example of content oriented around advertising while maintaining a proper balance to entertainment value and quality. So lets hope that NBC can get something right; honestly I've got more faith in them than any of the other networks. I really like what they've done on 30 Rock with product placement, talking about how sleezy it is to shill right in the middle of a show and then taking a nice big swig of Snapple for the camera. Or in the office when Kevin peddled Staples shredders by making a salad in one. Good stuff. There's something valuable in acknowledging that there is product placement happening, not trying to sneak it past my subconscious to make me go buy shoes or soda or cars like a brainwashed zombie.
And honestly, I think they could ride the overt placement wagon a little farther. Get some folks together to reshoot old sitcoms, but make everyone hold a Snapple while they do it. Just imagine Kramer chasing his car down the street carrying a Risk set and a Snapple. Jerry's stand-up audiences would all be Snappled-up. And George's wild arm waving would unleash a fountain of 'Mango Madness'. Or imagine that one Friends episode where someone has a baby... while holding a Snapple. Doctors, nurses, Phobie's brother... all carrying Snapples every moment they're on screen. (I gotta get off the Snapple, this could really be any bottled beverage. Except Pepsi. That would suck.) Kinda like beer-in-hand Ultimate, everything's happening normally, but put a bottle in everyone's hand and it immediately becomes more entertaining. (Otherwise the episodes would be pretty much the same, if a character is sposed to drink a coffee, he still drinks the coffee while holding his Snapple in the other hand.) I bet people would tune in to see something like that; the difficulty actors have trying to replicate previous performances obviously handicapped by corporate sponsorship. I mean they watch reality TV and that's... just awful.
And honestly, I think they could ride the overt placement wagon a little farther. Get some folks together to reshoot old sitcoms, but make everyone hold a Snapple while they do it. Just imagine Kramer chasing his car down the street carrying a Risk set and a Snapple. Jerry's stand-up audiences would all be Snappled-up. And George's wild arm waving would unleash a fountain of 'Mango Madness'. Or imagine that one Friends episode where someone has a baby... while holding a Snapple. Doctors, nurses, Phobie's brother... all carrying Snapples every moment they're on screen. (I gotta get off the Snapple, this could really be any bottled beverage. Except Pepsi. That would suck.) Kinda like beer-in-hand Ultimate, everything's happening normally, but put a bottle in everyone's hand and it immediately becomes more entertaining. (Otherwise the episodes would be pretty much the same, if a character is sposed to drink a coffee, he still drinks the coffee while holding his Snapple in the other hand.) I bet people would tune in to see something like that; the difficulty actors have trying to replicate previous performances obviously handicapped by corporate sponsorship. I mean they watch reality TV and that's... just awful.
2 comments:
And let's not forget Stephen Colbert's successful Doritos sponsorship.
i think there was a Sienfeld episode where they talk about Snapple, it seemed like every episode Elaine would pull one out of Jerry's fridge.
I want some snapple now.
maybe they should go back to making it super blatant and have the actors in a live commercial pushing whatever product.. "Welcome back to The Snapple Seinfeld show, brought to you by Snapple! Made from the best stuff on earth!"
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