• by Nina Lentini  @Nina_Lentini, June 14, 2007

Unilever is capitalizing on consumer obsession with celebrity gossip by introducing an animated series of webisodes based on two of its brands, I Can't Believe It's Not Butter and Wish-Bone salad dressing, both of which have a spray product.

"Sprays in the City"--not to be confused with the TV show "Sex and the City"--features Mark McGrath of "Extra," Tim Gunn from "Project Runway" and beefcake Fabio. It launched yesterday (although a "system error occurred" when this writer tried to watch it) at spraysinthecity.com, which is designed to look like a gossip blog.

According to a press release, "'Sprays In the City' tells the story of Spritzy, the feisty Wish-Bone Salad Spritzers Dressing, and Spraychel, the captivating I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray. The two sprays pursue love in the big city fridge filled with drama, gossip and excess. They quickly find that their product benefits, like portion control and great taste, make them the center of attention."

At the end of each webisode, consumers will be able to vote on the outcome of a cliffhanger. The following week, viewers can tune back in to see which ending won the vote. Participating viewers can win one of five $100 gift cards daily and have the chance to win a $10,000 grand prize shopping spree and a trip for two to New York City.

A related 30-second TV commercial, running on cable networks including Bravo, VH1, and E!, mimics celebrity news shows. Similarly, the print ad parodies celebrity magazine "Hot or Not" lists and will appear in People, In Touch, Star, US Weekly, and TV Guide.

Integrating traditional and non-traditional media, the webisodes are also supported via targeted advertising on key celebrity gossip web sites and blogs such as PerezHilton, PopSugar, and the Superficial. To further engage consumers at multiple touchpoints, subscribers of DirecTV and Cablevision can watch the webisodes on their televisions at home via an interactive TV channel.

"In an increasingly fragmented media landscape, we must find new and unique ways to reach our consumer," says Mike Bauer, vice president/general manager of Unilever, in a statement. "It's important to be innovative in the digital age. These two brands are joining forces to not only engage consumers, but entertain them and keep them tuned in."