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The Denver Post

Oct. 18--When producers for the niche reality-TV show "Queer Eye For the Straight Guy" called executives at Boulder-based Case Logic Inc. about a possible guest spot on the program, the partnership seemed simple.

"This type of action is a complete no-brainer," said Scott Chavkin, marketing manager at Case Logic, whose DVD organizer DVB-80 will be featured on the male-makeover show sometime between February and April. "It was a perfect fit for our company."

Industry experts warn that such deals may carry a host a risks -- placements can be expensive, offer little guarantee of a tangible return and may even create a backlash from inundated viewers -- but even so, they expect to see more such partnerships "as Madison Avenue looks desperately for new ways to effectively reach its audiences," said Robert Thompson, director of The Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University.

"There is no stopping the product-placement trend." The driving force, media experts say, is the way people now watch television. During the programs, viewers are attentive. But once the show stops and commercials begin, they often bolt elsewhere. And with concerns about digital recorders and other technologies that enable watchers to bypass TV commercials entirely, companies are spending big bucks for product-placement opportunities on prime-time programming.

"Now we are entering the age of TiVo," said Suzanne Paul, director of operations for High Noon Productions, a Centennial-based company that produced Discovery Channel reality-based home-improvement shows "Rally 'Round the House" and "Surprise by Design." Both shows incorporated product-placement spots during the 2003 season.

"(Companies) are needing other ways to advertise. I do think we'll see more product placement."

NBC's "The Apprentice" has spearheaded the trend nationally. Nearly every week this season, it will showcase a major U.S. company.

The show's contestants have already designed a Mr. Potato Head-like remote-controlled car for Mattel Inc.; two ice cream flavors for Ciao Bella Gelato Co.; and coordinated a marketing blitz for a new Crest toothpaste. Future corporate spots include Delta Air Lines, Toys "R" Us Inc. and Visa, NBC representatives said.

"We generated more sales in two weeks than a normal (product) introduction would've done in a year," said Charlie Apt, president of New Jersey-based ice cream maker Ciao Bella.

Last month, the company introduced those two new flavors, Red Velvet Cake and Vanilla Donut Dream, developed by contestants on "Apprentice." "How else can you get your product in front of 15 million to 18 million people?" In the movie industry, product placement has flourished for years.

Candy maker Hershey tasted success in 1982, when a memorable placement of Reese's Pieces in the blockbuster "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" caused the product's sales to soar by 80 percent. A few years earlier, tobacco-maker Philip Morris paid $43,000 to have a billboard-sized Marlboro sign featured during a fight scene in "Superman II." Companies are now looking to the small screen for similar successes, just not with traditional advertisements. Companies no longer have captive audiences like they once did, TV analyst Thompson said, so "we are going back to the 1950s," where TV characters openly plug products during programming.

In response, Nielsen Media Research this year introduced a service called Place*Views, which tracks the number of product occurrences on broadcast television stations during prime-time programming.

Viewers ages 15 to 34 are more likely than any others to accept product placement spots on TV, according to a recent study conducted by media research firm Mediaedge:CIA.

"Reality TV is a format people respect," said marketer Caitlin Doherty, who helped coordinate Case Logic's appearance on "Queer Eye." "They don't feel like it's coming through a marketer's mouth."

The marketing method does carry risks, however.

First, there are few assurances that audiences ever take note of such placements. And even if they do, it's unclear whether the placements motivate people to buy.

Second, the cost for paid product-placement is often high. NBC and high-profile producer Mark Burnett, the man behind the hit reality show "Survivor," reportedly commands nearly $1 million fees for placement spots on "Apprentice." Golden-based Coors Brewing Co., for example, had a slew of products placed in Miramax films in 2003.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez fell in love over a bottle of Coors Light in "Jersey Girl," and Coors Original made a cameo in the horror flick "Cursed."

Coors had the right to approve the script and the way the beer was presented.

"It gives us the opportunity for responsible product placement," Coors spokeswoman Hilary Martin told The Denver Post when the deal was announced.

Many smaller companies -- especially those with unpaid spots -- don't have the same control over how their products are portrayed. That's true for Case Logic, which landed its spot on "Queer Eye" at no charge.

Finally, companies and reality-show producers risk potential backlash from sophisticated consumers who may scoff at too much product integration. If a show's story line is interrupted by too many placements, for example, "people will revolt," TV analyst Thompson said.

"If it goes too far, it could be a problem," said TV viewer Erin Weber, 28, of Denver. While that hasn't happened yet, he added, doing so would inhibit the show.

In some regard, however, that has already started to happen, at least off camera.

A recently inked deal between the FX firefighter drama "Rescue Me" and Miller Brewing Co. calls for the beer giant's products to be prominently displayed on air.

The brewer also has influence on the way its products are portrayed, according to a recent Wall Street Journal story.

As an example, Miller executives forced producers, at least in part, to omit a scene from the show because a Miller beer bottle was smashed during a bar fight.

"That is shocking," High Noon's Paul said. "That's not a good thing for TV; it's changing the integrity of a show." Paul said such manipulation hasn't happened on the set of her company's shows, but the risk is there if network and ad executives demand it.

The real deal For Ciao Bella, though, the opportunity was too good to let melt away.

Before its appearance on "The Apprentice," the company averaged 2,000 to 5,000 website hits per day. The day after its products appeared on the show, Ciao Bella had more than 500,000 hits. Two days later, that number had passed 1 million.

"You can't put a price on that type of exposure," Ciao Bella's Apt said.

Locally, Case Logic is talking with representatives from TLC's home-makeover show "Clean Sweep," hoping to land a spot on the show for the company's new Space Logic product, a garage organizer.

"We are going to keep our foot on the gas pedal," Case Logic's Chavkin said. "I can't see us backing away. We will only increase our involvement with reality TV."

PRODUCTS ON TV: The television shows most likely to host product occurrences, and the products most likely to be placed on them, during the 2003-04 broadcast season follow:

Top 10 programs:

--1. "American Idol" (Fox), 3,356 occurrences

--2. "King of Queens" (CBS), 2,497

--3. "Jamie Kennedy Experiment" (WB), 2,473

--4. "The Apprentice" (NBC), 2,017

--5. "Grounded for Life" (WB), 1,728

--6. "Eve" (UPN), 1,680

--7. "Friends" (NBC), 1,470

--8. "Fear Factor" (NBC), 1,407

--9. "Still Standing" (CBS), 1,198

--10. "The Simple Life" (Fox), 1,169

Top 10 brands:

--1. Coca-Cola Classic, 2,321 occurrences

--2. Nike, 1,048

--3. Boston Red Sox, 926

--4. Netzero Internet SVC provider, 633

--5. Ford autos, 606

--6. AT&T Wireless, 436

--7. Ford trucks, 375

--8. Moosehead beer, 371

--9. New York Yankees, 360

--10. Pringles Potato Chips, 321

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