Creative Ways to Get Brand Integration into Film and TV Without Paying a Fortune

The process of brand integration is a common practice for top brands that find themselves placing their new products in movies, TV or digital media. While those watching might find such practices annoying when it looks overly obvious, it keeps happening because it’s been proven to work in gaining attention. And it has a bright future in the world of mobile where you’ll see many more brand integrations.

But what about a product that’s struggling to break out into the mainstream? Are there ways a company can get their product into a movie or TV show so the product truly resonates and generates sales?

Integrating a Product on TV

When seeking out integration of your product with TV, there has to be some kind of correlation between the two. It’s risky to place a product in a TV show or have an ad wrapped around it that doesn’t relate. PlaceVine points out that cable networks are frequently on the lookout for upstart products to be placed in ads or on their TV shows. With cable TV shows frequently becoming more successful than main network shows, it’s a chance to get your foot in the door.

Content Marketing Institute says that you should look for a TV show with a strong track record of brand integrations before committing. You should also try to negotiate on how long the product will be seen in the show. The longer it’s seen, the more it resonates in the memory. Interaction with the product is even better, especially with the main character.

Integrating Your Product into Film

You might have to get more creative to get your product placed into a film. While integrating an upstart product into a A-list film will require an investment you may not be able to afford, the chances with independent film is quite extensive. PlaceVine above notes that many independent films have trouble with their own financing and may require a symbiotic agreement. Offering to invest in the financing of an indie film in exchange for product integration is a creative business maneuver that can be worth the investment.

Thanks to independent film festivals, your financed indie film might get rave notices and a larger audience. If you’re lucky enough to get to major award level, many eyes may be seeing your product in the film.

As with TV, though, try to let your product be a natural integration and not a forced one. Audiences are astute in knowing when someone is holding a product up as blatant promotion over letting the product be a natural part of the story.

Integration into Digital Media

Integrating products onto the Internet has many more doors open for upstart products. With new shows and recurring video bits being a regular part of the web now, the chances for integration there are becoming greater. While an upstart product may have to start with something smaller, working your way up to having your product integrated into a Netflix show would be a major boon. The field will be competitive, though, as Netflix programming becomes a hot property.

For advertising integration, seek out online video ad networks to get your product placed into ads for online video shows. Some of the best ad networks are BrightRoll and YuMe.