How to gain a product placement partnership that works

0

Cougar TownTo kick off the fifth season of Cougar Town premiering on TBS, the hit series has partnered with Pinot’s Palette, pioneer of the upscale social art and wine experience, on an unprecedented promotion bringing fans closer than ever to their favorite characters. In this article from Production Hub and Florida Media market, learn how to gain a product placement partnership that works for your company and demographic:


How were you able gain a partnership with TBS to promote Cougar Town with your company?
Pinot’s Palette: We were honored to have partnered up with Cougar Town to help launch the new season. We saw many similarities between our audiences. TBS was really easy to work with and brainstorming with them was the best part. We really all had a lot of great ideas to contribute.  There is always a concern that the idea will not pan out in execution, but with our marketing team at the helm, technology and operations in place, and our experienced and marketing savvy owners we quickly worked past this. It helps that our President and CEO are big fans of the show. We immediately ‘got’ this partnership.

What tips would you offer a company who is trying to partner up with a major network?
Pinot’s Palette: The first thing to do is to determine which customers you are trying to reach and what they like to watch. Pinot’s Palette’s customers love wine and love to have a fun night out with friends. Cougar Town was a natural fit for our customers and our brand. Make sure you’re aligned on the value each partner is bringing to the table and how your equal efforts will benefit both partners. Other brands interest in partnering with Pinot’s Palette will find a collaborative and forward-thinking team of owners who are supported through our franchise to execute programs like Cougar Town. Our customers are always ready to jump in and be engaged.

Are there any other series you might team up with in the future? If not, what inspired you to team up with TBS on this occasion?
Pinot’s Palette: We are always looking for opportunities to team up with brands that we can see synergies with our customers. Our customers come from all backgrounds and likes so the possibilities are endless. We see an inexhaustible list of brands in many industries we could partner with to bring their brand to life though experiential marketing.

What has the outcome been since you partnered up and promoted the series?
Pinot’s Palette: The outcome and enthusiasm from the partnership has been fantastic. Pinot’s Palette hosted new season launch painting parties at all of our locations across the US and sold out of all within hours of announcing the promotion on the Cougar Town Facebook page. Everyone had a fantastic time painting and guessing what this season will include.

Printed with permission from Florida Media Market and Production Hub.

RBR-TVBR observation: Product placement has evolved so much over the years. This show seems to revolve around drinking copious amounts of wine. What a perfect entree for Pinot’s Palette, WineStyles, the Wall Street Journal Wine Club, etc..? We’ve seen a lot of similar fits with Big Bang Theory with The Cheesecake Factory and LA’s ComiCon. Where it’s a natural fit, to the degree the program’s characters “wrap themselves around” a product or service, advertisers often can’t resist a proposal. In fact, they often come to the show’s producers with their own proposals.