TV production placement advertising – Hydrodol

TV production placement advertising is a marketing solution that integrates with media content. It is the strategic integration of marketing messages such as brands, products, or specific service content into television programmes by means of props, lines or background. Product placement allows products to become elements of the production in a way that is not very directly appealing, thus exposing the advertising message and achieving the purpose of marketing communication.

There are some general forms of TV production placement advertising:

(i) Sponsorship 

With traditional TV advertising becoming more and more restrictive, being a sponsor of the TV programmes has become the preferred placement method for many brands.  

(ii) Placement in lines

The host of TV productions is a key player. Hence, highlighting the brand or product information into the host’s lines can undoubtedly bring some positive effects.  

(iii) TV production props 

TV shows often feature various props, and these props are fully exposed before the audience. It is also an excellent way to lead communication.  There are also other ways in addition to these primary forms of placement advertising, such as logo exposure and acknowledgements, etc.   The TV show placement of HYDRODOL was generally designed to help the client solve two significant brand awareness problems in the Chinese market. One pain point being that HYDRODOL has not established a clear brand image and product position in China. Another is that there are no suitable channels for endorsement due to the specificity of the product. Based on HYDRODOL’s product features and target audience, TV show placements or celebrity partnership are strategies that can quickly build a stable brand image and increase exposure.

The reasons for choosing ‘OMGFunBeauty’ can be summarised in three points

(i) Good value for money

Sponsorship or TV programme placements in the Chinese market is a huge expense, especially for some popular and top programmes. However, on a limited budget, ‘OMGFunBeauty’ and other online television shows have the advantage of lower costs, shorter production periods, and a wider range of authorised material compared with popular shows.  

(ii) Suitable celebrity guests

Working with a celebrity who has a bad reputation or PR risk can wreck a brand, so choosing carefully to work with a celebrity is also critical in a TV show placement marketing strategy. In HYDRODOL’s case, Charmaine is an actress with almost no negative reviews in China or even in Asia, and the PR risk of working with her can be minimised.  

(iii) Flexibility in the use of promotional materials

The authorised promotional materials from TV programmes have a strict scope of use, as it involves concerns about the celebrity’s portraiture and secondary profitability. Authorised materials from online TV shows have a more flexible scope and duration of use, allowing brands to support their marketing strategies in different ways over a longer time. Overall, for TV production sponsorships and placements, it is still necessary to plan and choose after clarifying the brand’s target audience and long-term marketing strategy to achieve the most excellent help for brand awareness.