Commentary

Fewer TV Branded Entertainment Deals? Looking For Lower Price, Easier Alternatives

So much for “content marketing” on traditional TV programs. Nielsen says the number of in-program branded entertainment deals are down by half the total of a year ago --  104 during premiere week.

Ironically, many point to other new advertising platforms that may be contributing to that decline with similar executions. Digital content marketing -- the good, the bad, and the ugly -- has been climbing steadily.

Not only that but, according to Nielsen, total season in-program branded ad placements in the 2014-2015 season were half what they were five years ago -- from 4,455 to 8,500.

Andy Donchin, chief investment officer at Amplify US, Dentsu’s media buying unit, told the Wall Street Journal marketers aren’t interested in paying premiums for traditional TV branded entertainment.

This make sense in a world of rising media placement choices as well as associated price declines. Not only that, but branded entertainment deals can take months to put together.

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Nielsen says Apple, Starbucks, Chevrolet, Ford and Google have been responsible for 30% of all in-program placements during the last broadcast season.

Perhaps many of those placements found on big broadcast cable and TV reality shows have seen better days. Still Nielsen says when branded entertainment deals are paired with a TV commercial in the same program, brand recall climbs nearly 20%. But, again, at what price?

For many, it might seem traditional TV advertising -- as well as lackluster digital media formats -- seem to need a refresh.

TV viewers just shrug their shoulder when, for example, contestants in TV singing competition shows are driven around in visually prominent branded vehicles. This isn’t a slam; TV viewers will indeed remember that brand. But are they really engaged? Do they really want to buy?

More than ever, marketers are looking for much more bang for their media buck these days. A growing push for programmatic services is only one reason.

Who among the big traditional TV players is willing to step up and offer better value -- or perhaps cheaper alternative, non-30-second commercial TV formats?

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