• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, June 17, 2008

The former Court TV, now action-reality-focused truTV, has inked deals with several marketers tied to its new series about the search for oil in West Texas. Western Union will sponsor show vignettes, with commitments from Mutual of Omaha and Pizza Hut.

The Pizza Hut deal includes a straightforward product placement, where its fare is enjoyed by the oil workers on a lunch break in one episode of "Black Gold."

The series debuts tomorrow night, and truTV hopes that it yields the same type of success as "Ice Road Truckers." "Black Gold" is from the same production operation, Thom Beers' Original Productions, which produced "Ice" on the History Channel last summer.

"We continually search for new and creative consumer-facing venues, something beyond the traditional 15-second or 30-second TV spot," said Michael Hafer, vice president of marketing at Western Union.

Western Union's involvement stretches over the first five of the eight-week season; Pizza Hut comes in the middle. Mutual of Omaha is sponsoring the final episodes, including the Aug. 6 finale.

All three sponsors will receive exposure during tune-in messages, along with the vignettes, which will have show-related content to run adjacent to their spots. Some episodes will include what truTV parent Turner Broadcasting refers to as "in-show graphics."