• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, October 3, 2008

It was hard to read last week's court ruling in the dispute over whether "Project Runway" will stay at Bravo or go to Lifetime without getting a sense of how much brand integration means to the show--and not to the viewers. Apparently, it does not just bring incremental dollars, but serves as a critical part of the revenue stream for the network and producers.

Without Bluefly.com (which gives the winning designer a $10,000 shopping spree) or L'Oreal Paris providing a makeup room for each episode, would the value of the show plummet?

"Product integration is critical to financing a program like 'Project Runway' because while a licensing fee is paid for each episode of the show, it often times does not cover the amount necessary to produce the show," the judge wrote in his decision to issue an injunction--preventing "Runway" producers, the Weinstein Co., from moving the show to Lifetime yet.

Product placement dollars--split somehow between the Weinstein Co. (TWC) and Bravo--were so crucial to Harvey Weinstein that they contributed to his "particular dislike" for Bravo chief Lauren Zalaznick. According to the court document, Weinstein claimed that Zalaznick "interfered with TWC's efforts to secure product integration advertisers--an important source of TWC's profits from the program."

The court decision cites one "Runway" advertiser--hair care marketer Tresemme--as paying "significant money" for its integration; it "also purchases traditional commercial air time."

A week before the judge issued the ruling mentioning Tresemme briefly, the marketer played an integral role in the Sept. 17 episode of "Runway" (one of the top product placements of the week, according to measurement firm iTVX).

The contestants competed in a "Tresemme Challenge"--where they had to oversee a makeover for a recent college graduate. There was also a "Tresemme Hair Salon;" a stylist from the company made an appearance; and a presence in a Tresemme ad in Elle magazine was a prize.

While on paper it may sound like overkill, it's clear that viewers and advertisers have spoken. It's a simple calculus: Enough viewers (notably important-to-reach affluent ones) tune in that the likes of L'Oreal, Tresemme and Saturn renew their integration deals season after season. ("Runway" is about to finish season five.)

Some marketers may have linked up at first as a vanity play--a chance to associate with a series that has considerable buzz--but it's unlikely that they would return without some ROI.

And speaking of buzz, after the legal wrangling somehow is resolved about where "Runway's" next season airs, that heat will only be turned up.

 

 

Product	Show	Q-Ratio
T-mobile	Saturday Night Live	3.3733
Dodge Ram	America's Toughest Jobs	3.1019
Wal-Mart	America's Next Top Model	2.2965
TRESemme	Project Runway	1.8831
Heineken	Mad Men	1.6823

 

Click here to view these placements. Data and analysis provided by iTVX.