In a society that is becoming increasingly saturated with advertising, entertainment marketing is one of the few ways for companies to reach their target audiences. From print ads in magazines and newspapers to commercials on television, entertainment marketing permeates nearly every aspect of our lives, and it is constantly evolving as the times change.
What Is Entertainment Marketing?
Entertainment marketing can be summed up in one word: exposure. Whether it’s television programming, movies, music, or even sports events, these mediums have become incredibly effective at introducing brands to new consumers.
These days, advertisers are more than willing to pay top dollar for the privilege of being associated with popular shows or celebrities because they know that these tie-ins will help them sell their products.
What Are Some Examples of Entertainment Marketing?
Some examples of entertainment marketing campaigns include: Product placement Product integration, Celebrity endorsement Virtual product placement
1. Product Placement
The latest trend in entertainment marketing, product placement, is when a company pays to have their products included on-screen during a television show or movie. For example, the famous Diet Pepsi/iPod commercial featuring Britney Spears was actually paid for by PepsiCo!
2. Product Integration
Product integration goes even further than simple product placement since companies also make their products integral parts of the storyline. It’s rare, but now and then, you’ll see an episode of your sitcom or drama where one of the characters will actually use the product in question.
For example, in 2011, Ben & Jerry’s ice cream was integrated into several episodes of NBC’s “The Office” thanks to an exclusive partnership with the network.
3. Celebrity Endorsement
An old staple of entertainment marketing, celebrity endorsements are when a well-known celebrity wears or uses a company’s products in public.
These stars are paid handsomely for their services, but they also do it because the endorsement will be beneficial to their image and make them even more popular among their fans.
4. Virtual Product Placement
Virtual product placement is when companies pay to have their brands appear on television shows or movies through images or logos featured on computer screens shown throughout the program.
The idea here is to make entertainment marketing seem “unobtrusive” since the audience isn’t forced to view commercials or other promotional materials.
Why Do Companies Use Entertainment Marketing?
Basically, companies use entertainment marketing because it works! Advertisers have found that tie-ins with popular television shows and movies tend to increase their sales by a significant percentage. In fact, many entertainment marketing campaigns see a huge return on investment — Sometimes it’s almost 100 times as much as what companies spent on the campaign!
In addition, using the right combination of media can expand a company’s target market significantly. For example, if an advertiser wants to promote its products among young families, they could pay for product placement during Nickelodeon programs and commercials during Saturday morning cartoons.
If you are looking to grow your business, you can contact a consultancy offering segmentation and targeting strategies for your company.
What Are the Benefits to Consumers?
Entertainment marketing is beneficial not only for advertisers and companies but also for consumers as well. For one, it provides entertainment that wouldn’t normally be available — if it weren’t for sponsorship from big corporations, many people would never be able to watch their favorite television shows or movies!
In addition, there are usually no strings attached as far as product requirements go! Finally, even though these tie-ins can sometimes be annoying (especially when they involve product placement within TV shows or movies), they are usually harmless.
What Are the Drawbacks to Consumers?
While entertainment marketing is popular among consumers, it does have some drawbacks. For example, when an advertiser pays for product placement within a particular show or movie, there’s often no control over how that product is used.
If one of your favorite characters on TV uses a specific brand of shampoo and ends up getting sick because of it, you might feel obligated to stop using the same shampoo out of sheer loyalty! Plus, blatant advertising tends to make most people cynical and can even cause them to tune out — what advertiser wants that?!
Entertainment marketing is one of the most important and fastest-growing industries in the world. People are exposed to more and more advertising every day, and companies are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to reach their target audiences. In this article, we’ve explored the basics of entertainment marketing-what it is, how it works, and some of the most common strategies marketers use today.
