• The New York Times, Wednesday, December 19, 2007 11:30 AM

The United States consumer products division of L'Oréal is starting an online campaign that sends up the concept of sponsors insinuating products into television shows, movies and video games. The campaign, which introduces a line of hair-care products called Garnier Fructis Style Bold It, includes a Web site, video clips and a blog. The target is men ages 18 to 34.

The campaign for hair gel is presented to consumers as if Garnier executives had made a branded entertainment agreement with "a low-rent, three-letter broadcast network named after an animal," as one blog post describes it. The deal ostensibly involves a new comedy--"The Harry Situation"-- with innuendo-laden dialogue and a companion Web site (theharrysituation.com).

Also included on the Web site are mock memos from Garnier; fictitious reports of focus-group interviews with dim young consumers bearing names like Ashley and Madison; and summaries of the imaginary reactions of test audiences to the series.

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