Latest Rage At The Upfronts: Ads That Don't Look Like Ads
The Biz
Brandweek
May 5, 2008
IT'S GETTING
harder to distinguish commercials from content. These
days, an ad can be a vignette with a stand-up comic, a
puppet-hosted interview or a behind-the-scenes look at
an upcoming movie.
On the eve of the upfront market, when TV networks pitch
their slates and secure the bulk of their ad dollars for
the next season, ad sales executives are going to new
lengths to get their share of cash. The current buzz
term: custom content. In other words, ads that don't
look like ads. The goal is to get consumers to pay
attention, not surf or fast-forward during breaks from
their shows.
Time Warner's Turner Broadcasting, which has been
aggressive in developing ads designed as entertainment,
is launching several such initiatives on its remade Tru
TV.
"Advertisers want to engage with consumers in some
meaningful way," said Tom Winiarski, svp of Turner
Entertainment ad sales and marketing. "We're helping
them maximize their message in our environment."
The cable network, formerly Court TV, has moved away
from its all-courtroom-all-the-time coverage to a
broader "It's not reality, it's actuality" theme, with
350 hours of original programming in the upcoming
season. It's less crime and punishment, which got the
cold shoulder from some advertisers, Winiarski said.
"Not a lot of people want to be the title sponsor for
the Phil Spector murder trial," he said.
Since its January relaunch, Tru TV has seen a bump in
ratings, earning its biggest-ever prime time audiences
in the key 18-49-year-old demographic and total viewers.
First quarter saw a 7% increase in viewers, and an
average uptick of 82,000 25-54-year-old viewers.
The restyled channel focuses on personal storytelling
and real-life experiences in its unscripted shows, a la
the fall-launching Black Gold, from the Ice Road
Truckers production team, that features oil wildcatters
in Texas.
Three new branded entertainment formats—Reel Movie,
Actual Ads and Real Life Stories—will link the channel's
programming theme with advertiser messages. Reel Movie,
with 20th Century Fox as its first advertiser, goes
behind the scenes of the studio's comedy What Happens in
Vegas with personal accounts from stars Ashton Kutcher
and Rob Corddry about a pivotal scene. Commentary comes
from co-star Cameron Diaz for the vignettes, which start
this week for the May 9-opening movie.
Actual Ads have a cinema verité twist, featuring
consumers waxing about brands via self-shot Webcam
footage. Finally, Reel Life Stories will mix shows like
the upcoming Ski Patrol with sponsor messages in short
entertainment bits. Talks are ongoing with interested
marketers.
In the same spirit, sibling channel Cartoon Network just
announced interstitials hosted by puppets named Jib and
Crash who will do interviews with movie stars. Warner
Bros. is the first client, with a 90-second exclusive
peek at Speed Racer this week followed by 45-second
puppet-hosted vignettes. DreamWorks Animation will be
next up to promote its animated family flick Kung Fu
Panda.
Turner execs also have made advertisers part of
30-second spots called bitcoms where stand-up comics
tell jokes about the brands on the comedy-centric TBS.
Unilever and other major marketers have participated.
Other entertainment companies like Viacom are pushing
further into the pod-busting space via programs like
True Dads, ad-integrated spots on Spike TV that show
dads spending time with their kids. Red Lobster, Jeep,
T-Mobile and Pizza Hut have been woven into the pieces.
The CSI Guys put Dunkin' Donuts, T-Mobile and Dominos
into shorts that parody the popular drama.