CBS Forms Special Ad Division for Brand Integrations
Brian Steinberg
Advertising Age
April 10, 2008
NEW YORK (AdAge.com)
-- CBS Television Distribution, the
syndicated-programming arm of CBS Corp., is forming a
special ad unit within its ranks that aims to spark
discussions of product integration earlier in the
program development process -- yet another sign that
advertisers and media outlets are tackling deals that
are more complex than in past years.
CBS Television Distribution, which syndicates shows such
as "Jeopardy!" "Wheel of Fortune," "The Oprah Winfrey
Show," "Judge Judy" and "Entertainment Tonight," has
hired branded-entertainment executive Greg Bennett for a
newly created position, senior VP-branded integration
and online. The idea, said Mr. Bennett, is to develop
"an in-house agency" that can talk "to the ad agencies
and the promo agencies in their lingo."
Knitting brands and programs
The Bennett hire and the development of the new unit are
indicative of a new push in the effort to knit brands
and programs in closer patterns. NBC Universal has for
the last year or so trumpeted its efforts to get
advertisers and the network talking earlier in the
development process, all to generate ideas that tie in
to particular programs, plots and characters. At CBS
Television Distribution, demand for wide-ranging
programs is "just becoming too voluminous for us" to
handle with ad-sales executives who also sell
traditional spots, said John Nogawski, president-CBS
Television Distribution.
Product-integration deals drive much of the early
business, Mr. Nogawski said. "We start these discussions
now. Most of these concepts will be driven and budgets
will be allocated over the next month. When we actually
get to the upfront, the integration conversation has
already happened, and then we complete the business when
we do the upfront selling."
While TV viewers may be more familiar with deals that
put Nissan automobiles in episodes of "Heroes," CBS's
syndicated-TV offerings have proven fertile ground for
clever ideas. Mars Inc.'s animated M&M characters often
turn up in "Entertainment Tonight." Capital One was able
to create a card that was handed out to celebrity guests
on different programs who could then use it to make
donations to a favorite charity, Mr. Nogawski said.
'Wheel' deal
An example of how deals of this stripe are becoming more
complex was unveiled in fall of last year when Time
Warner's People magazine struck a multiplatform ad deal
with the game show "Wheel of Fortune." The pact
encompassed print ads, online advertising and exposure
within the show itself over a six-week period and
celebrated the 25th anniversary of "Wheel." The
advertisers involved include Kraft Foods' Maxwell House,
Sony Corp.'s Sony Card and Procter & Gamble's Febreze
and Dawn. Each marketer was able to serve as a provider
of prizes on the show and sponsor a "double wedge," or a
sign that takes up two slots on the wheel.
Mr. Bennett joins the company from his own firm, O!
Branded Entertainment & Marketing, which he founded in
2003. He also founded Luna Bacardi Group, another
company specializing in promotions and integrated
advertising. He sold the company in 1999.