NBC to Create Programs Centered on Sponsors

explosivejared writes "It sounds farcical when you first hear it, but NBC has teamed up with an ad agency to produce actual feature programs that are centered around promoting the products of the network's sponsors. The network has already begun production on one sci-fi program entitled 'Gemini Division,' which will act as a platform for products from Microsoft, Intel, and Cisco. The programming will be broadcast via the network's 'digital properties,' e.g. the NBC web site. I guess it was only a matter of time for something like this to come along after product placement became the norm."

Comments

Wrong way round

[jmpeax]

Product placement is, at best, a necessary evil to fund content that is expensive to produce. Normally, product placement is worth the effort because the content is very popular - for example, the promotion of brands like Apple and Cisco in 24.

The significant point, however, is that the show comes first. By reversing the creative process and using product promotion as a starting point, not only is the quality of content likely to suffer, but the effectiveness of the advertising along with it.

What's worse, it seems these plans will give the brands involved an unprecedented level of influence over the content. From TFA:

[It will be] a unique way of giving brands a seat at the table with writers and producers in developing episodic programming that ties directly to brand needs

Re:Wrong way round

[hardburn]

Maybe not, though I don't think the truth is necessarily any more favorable to the "average Joe". People forgot that there before TV, people would read, have hobbies, take a walk, have a picnic, etc. Now people put on American Idol and say how much they hate that show. When asked why they still watch it, they respond that there's nothing else on.

Re:Wrong way round

[mcrbids]

Isn't this largely what TV was back in the 50's? "The Colgate Comedy Hour" etc... It's just TV going full circle and back to the pitiful whores they were in the first place.

You whiner.

I just don't get the NEGATIVE ATTITUDE that comes from this. I mean, 24x7, you're getting shows that cost a TON OF MONEY to create for FREE. How about "gee, thanks!"??? You could go and support local community theater, but we all know that's something you go to because you think community theater is a "good idea", or because you know somebody in it, not because you'd actually want to go see it every night after dinner.

Don't like the show? Go do something else! Learn to play the guitar! Take your bored dog for a walk! Go have sex with your partner! Or, go find a partner to have sex with! Read a book! Study differential calculus! Learn to cook Mahi-Mahi Flambe.

But, you don't want to do that, and you don't like advertising? Well, you could PAY FOR THE SHOW. You know, buy season DVDs and only watch those. Don't bother with the advertising supported television! No commercials! Somewhere along the line, somebody's got to pay the bill.

The truth is, this is a natural response to the rise of the DVR. I've been wondering how long it would be before this would happen - I haven't watched a standard TV commercial in a long, long time. Any shows that count me as an advertising "eyeball" are lying to their advertisers. And while I appreciate the free ride in the short term, the long term is that this situation is simply unsustainable, as the cost of DVRs drop and adoption continues to climb.

50's here we come...

[vanyel]

Like they say, nothing new under the sun...

Wow..

[rastoboy29]

Another great reason to continue avoiding network tv.

Who didn't see this coming?

[flanksteak]

I guess it was only a matter of time for something like this to come along after product placement became the norm.

And after the DVR makes commercial-skipping so much easier. The business model must evolve. Unknown if it will survive. And while I know everyone will say that this will turn most viewers off, the truth is if it's entertaining people will watch.

I love this quote:

The collaboration ... offers a unique way of giving brands a seat at the table with writers and producers in developing episodic programming that ties directly to brand needs.

BSOD jokes aside, I'm trying to figure out how you can communicate helpful technical product information in a science fiction drama show. Is it going to be like the time Jeff Goldblum used Mac OS 9 to take down the alien computer systems? Or is Rosario Dawson going to chase aliens and time travel with a Zune and an MSDN subscription? It's one thing to have a Coke can sitting in plain view, it's another to show how the protagonists succeed using shrinkwrapped software.

piracy

[timmarhy]

So when i pirate this quality content, are they going to try sue me? after all marketing is the entire point of this.

Easy response

[EmbeddedJanitor]

Click!