Product Placements Gone Wild

Some time ago I wrote in this space about product placements -- common name-brand consumer products placed into movies and television programs as an advertising measure. If done properly it can be a very powerful marketing technique, as when the move "E.T." put the previously almost unknown Reese’s Pieces on the map (M&Ms were originally in the script, but the company worried about the possible negative marketing impact if the movie had failed, and opted out). Done improperly it's usually just a waste of money, as in the Coca-Cola placements in the Bill Cosby movie “Leonard, Part VI” (almost no one saw the movie, and these days even Bill Cosby disowns the project). But last night I witnessed the most amazing collection of product placements I have ever seen -- and I'm not even sure how many of them were paid for...

The show was "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition," the 21st Century answer to "Queen for a Day" in the 1940s and 1950s. For those not familiar with it, every week a team of "designers" shows up at the home of some poor folks who are in desperate need of improved or upgraded living quarters, sends the family on vacation for a week, and then demolishes and rebuilds their house from the ground up -- assisted by a small army of builders using the fastest techniques available and working often literally around the clock. Viewers are encouraged to videotape an explanation of why they or someone they know deserves to have their house remodeled (which replaces the audience participation vote of the earlier program), and the design team will create unique room decor, furniture and whatnot to both customize the new structure and hold the viewers' interest.

Now, if you're thinking that such an operation would have many great opportunities for product placement, you're quite right. Obviously, EVERY show is a chance for the builders working on the house to show how fast and how capable they are -- if they can build a house THIS nice in only seven days, what could they do for you if you gave them a few months? The program's major sponsor is Sears, and they never miss a chance to show their products, delivery trucks and sometimes even stores on camera during the week's build project. Another common sponsor is Ford Motor Company, who often provide vehicles to the family if they need some, and gain the opportunity to showcase their products, personnel and even showrooms as a result.

Last night's season finale episode took the whole concept to the extreme, however. All of the builders (and there were 18 different building companies featured) got screen time for their name and logo, and most of them got to appear on screen and talk about how proud they were to be included. Every piece of construction equipment, from the earthmovers to the hand tools, had its manufacturer's name and logo clearly visible while it was on camera, and even things like the construction materials and temporary structures (fences, sanitary units) had manufacturer or supplier names and logos. All of the companies providing furnishings or finishings arrived in huge trucks with billboard-style ads on the sides, just the way Sears usually does, and both Sears and Ford got into this episode in a big way.

I tried to keep track of all of the product placements, and got lost somewhere in the mid two-digit range, but I'd be willing to bet there were 100 or more total placements -- which is a lot for a program only 92 minutes long. And that doesn't even consider all of the regular commercial breaks. I'm not sure how many of these companies paid to have their produces or services featured, and how many just provided goods/services as payment in kind for the placements, but it does make you wonder...

Do you think we could get ABC to leave those crews down in New Orleans for a few more months? At the rate they're going, it sees as if the "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" people could have the whole place rebuilt in a year or so -- and I wouldn't bet against them making a profit while they were at it...