As you flee traditional broadcast television to get away from commercials, and turn to streaming services like Hulu , Netflix and Amazon, advertisers are still chasing after you.
They can’t buy commercials so they’re resorting to a trick older than television itself.
Product placement. Advertising expert Terry O’Reilly tells Mojo radio pioneer Jack Benny made a habit of referencing Lucky Strike cigarettes during his 1930’s shows, not as commercials, but by writing references to the brand name into scripts. Jack Daniels Whiskey has paid a handsome sum to be the favorite beverage on Mad Men, and Wilson volleyballs get their money’s worth in the Tom Hanks movie “Castaway” in which his co-star was a volleyball named Wilson. It’s done all the time.
Amazon’s series Hand of God recently raked in the cash while featuring Zillow, a real estate company. As more and more people turn to online platforms to find entertainment options, advertisers are exploring options to expose you to their logos, shapes and sizes in new, innovative ways.