• by David Goetzl  @dgoetzl, January 9, 2009

Over the next few months, one of the more interesting series to watch as far as product placement goes promises to be "Trust Me." The TNT drama set in an ad agency--coming Jan. 26--would seem to offer a range of possibilities for products to be woven into the story lines.

 

 

The second episode might serve as a hint, as it ends with an agency executive receiving praise from a brand manager for Dove. The Unilever brand, along with General Motors and Anheuser-Busch, has signed on as season-long sponsors.

Although details of what those deals include are unknown, they would seem to be in line with what TNT has been doing lately with its run of original dramas, signing marketers to multifaceted packages that can pull from a mixture of options. While brand integrations may be the most visible aspect, marketers' opportunities also include a presence in tune-in messages; the opportunity to run pre-roll spots on the online streaming of episodes; and co-branded sweepstakes.

Take TNT's currently-airing drama "Leverage," about a team of thieves who look to play good cop and exact "revenge against those who use power and wealth to victimize others." DirecTV, Hewlett-Packard and Hyundai are the lead sponsors.

With "Trust Me," the sponsors will have a challenge to devise packages with TNT as creative as what the network and Hyundai have done with "Leverage." Hyundai is using the series to plug its Genesis brand.

The automaker's involvement extends well beyond one character saying "Nice Ride" after a Genesis rolls up in a recent episode, or even sponsoring the premiere episode without commercials.

The most intriguing aspect is a Hyundai-backed "Get Ready to Get Even" online contest with $100,000 as a prize. (Hyundai's multi-tiered involvement with a recent episode was one of the top product placements of the week, according to measurement firm iTVX.)

On-air, viewers are directed to a Web site, LeverageHQ.com, where contestants can try to determine who "double-crossed" the "Leverage" team "in a heist gone wrong."

That jazzy site features a video intro by the lead character (played by Timothy Hutton) asking visitors to help solve the mystery, with the cash prize as a potential thank you. In order to build consumer engagement, participants can gather a new clue each week over the show's run. Then at the end, they are challenged to put them all together to solve the puzzle or complete the "mission."

Attempting to provide Hyundai with maximum exposure by encouraging viewers to visit LeverageHQ.com weekly with compelling on-air spots is a clever tactic. But what makes the contest stand out is how TNT and Hyundai promote the $100,000 prize itself.

Advertiser-sponsored sweepstakes are so plentiful on TV--particularly via the mass of reality shows--that consumers tend to glaze over when the would-be jaw-dropping amount of prize money is mentioned.

(What was that? A car company offering another $1 million? Or was that just $100,000? Or just a car? Doesn't matter, I'll never win.)

But with "Get Ready to Get Even," TNT and Hyundai have found a way to pique the interest of even the most cynical of viewers who look at sweepstakes as fools' errands. High-energy on-air spots that plug the contest and direct viewers to LeverageHQ.com intriguingly show $100,000 in bills swiftly hidden in the trunk of a Hyundai Genesis.

Framing the contest, Hutton's character tells the audience: "We have to stay out of sight until you help us find out who set us up. Your reward? $100,000 in prize money stashed away in the trunk of a car under 24-hour surveillance."

After an explosion and heavily armed phalanx, there's a shot of the car from the vantage point of the security camera. It's a clean look at the Genesis, and can also be seen via a Web cam on LeverageHQ.com.

Hyundai no doubt hopes it proves to be a money shot.

Fax

Product	Show	Q-Ratio
Macy's	Little Spirit	5.0316
Smart Car	Worst Week	3.3713
Hallmark	Extreme Makeover: Home Edition	3.1898
Nintendo Wii	The Big Bang Theory	2.4343
Max Factor	Stylista	1.9305
XBOX 360	Deal or No Deal	1.2952
T-Mobile Sidekick	Top Chef: New York	1.2908
DirecTV	Leverage	1.1644
Hyundai Genesis	Leverage	0.8447
iPod	Californication	0.7566
Dr. Pepper	Together Again for the First Time	0.6608
Kay Jewelers	Our First Christmas	0.5708

 

 

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