theAdVantage for October 21st
Inspired by theSkimm—sign up here http://www.theskimm.com/?r=2KEFT theAdVantage is an e-newsletter created by UGA AdClub to keep students in touch with advertising & media industry headlines.
GET THOSE DIGITS “U.S. teens now describe Instagram as "most important," while Facebook and Twitter lost ground on this measure, according to Piper Jaffray's twice yearly teen survey” - Thiago Guimarães, Business Insider
DO YOU BUY THIS!? THE STORY Buy This! is television’s newest Finnish sitcom…. only it’s filmed at an ad agency instead of a Hollywood set, and the commercials are the actual show. This work of art is proof that ad agencies have mastered product placement. Basically, Buy This! is the new Mad Men minus SCDP and fake clients—and plus real ads for real TBWA clients.
WHICH CAME FIRST—THE SHOW OR THE PLACEMENT Buy This! ads generate more viewers for the show while simultaneously accumulating impressions for TBWA clients’ brands. TBWA Helsinki and FremantleMedia (AKA the company that produced American Idol) collaborated to create the sitcom. Each episode is written based on a creative brief. The brief is sent to Buy This! writers who develop comedic character/project-specific storylines. What’s more—the show gets free social media promotions from their clients’ brand accounts. The result? Buy This! is raking in the ratings. OH, and BTW, the format has already been sold to Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Australia and New Zealand for production. Read: It’s just a matter of time before US Americans follow suit.
WHAT’S theAdVantage? Advertising is continuing to push storytelling possibilities (Exhibit A: Buy This!). The show’s innovative product placement strategy markets to viewers who will enjoy the joke (and thus, will refrain from throwing the remote at their television out of ad cynicism and frustration). Mention this during an interview! Explain the potential success associated with creating a