America's Next Top Model Ads Analysis
Covergirl, Seventeen magazine, Sears, just to name a few, these are only some brands that have been placed or integrated into the plot of the eighth season of America's Next Top Model. Since technology allows viewers to avoid ads, product placement is the paid product message targeted at influencing movie or TV audiences through the unobtrusive and planned access of a branded product into a movie or TV. (Tiny M. Lowrey, L.J Shrum, John A. McCarty, 2004) Product integration is a similar concept except that the product is used as a part of the program. According to Shrum, it is a technique by "weaving the product into the fabric' of the program". (Tiny M. Lowrey, L.J Shrum, John A. McCarty, 2004) These are the recent channels producers have exploited to vie for consumers' attention today.
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In the last episode of America's Next Top Model Cycle 8, the final three participants were asked to shoot a 30 second commercial and a national print advertisement for CoverGirl cosmetics.
As the competitors worked on their commercials, they were told to introduce CoverGirl cosmetics as "sheer shiny shades that matches 97% of the skin tone" on their shooting ads. Finally, the Covergirl promotional videos of all three participants were played again and again. The result is that, audiences had exposed themselves to a commercial-in-disguise TV show that lasted 40 minutes, and had unconsciously become familiar with this famous cosmetic brand, while sitting on their sofa initially looking for entertainment.
As I recall what Mr. Greg Bonnan said, about how he lowered production fee for Baywatch, he earned a large proportion of advertising revenues from his product placement deals, and earned cars, boats and hotels for filming particular brands (Bonnan, 2007). Can you imagine how much Tyra Banks, the executive producer of America's Next Top Model, has benefited from featuring different brands in her show for the whole 40 minutes every
week?
Another example from America's Next Top Model 4 Cycle 8 is its 1st episode featuring Goodwill the thrift shop's charity fundraising event. The participants' task was to auction off their selected outfit from Goodwill which reflected their personal styles. The participant whose outfit receives the highest bid won the challenge and was rewarded to sign her name on the ceremonial check given to the charity for the vocationally challenged. Based on the script, participants were assigned to look for an outfit in Goodwill store. In other words, there was a brief description on Goodwill store and time was allocated to Goodwill during the whole challenge. This is indeed a very clever method for companies to promote positive image to the public in a natural way.
Though regular commercials are still running between shows, the advertising strategy in the TV industry is urgently changing. The introduction of DVRs is a noteworthy factor. According to The Yankee Group's research in 2002, 76% of the interviewees were not interested in TiVo in a survey regarding public's interest in DVRs. However, in recent years, DVR viewers are rapidly increasing, and the group expects recording devices to be owned by 20% of American household by 2008 (Posnock, 2004). While audiences are changing their TV viewing habits, and TiVo users are given the choice to fast-forward commercials, advertisements are forced to integrate with TV shows. Therefore, "the line between entertainment and advertising is becoming blurred" (Posnock, 2004).
Not only scholars realized this trend, many major advertisers, like Coke and Ford, have started their experiments with product placements on TV. Although sponsorships and product placements has been used effectively in the past, they have their own risks (Posnock 2004). The first season of American Idol's shameless promotion of Coke had irritated many audiences, according to the article It can control Madison Avenue (Posnock , 2004). American Idol seemed to be unskillful at finding the balance between promoting brand messages and not interfering with consumers' enjoyment of the show. Unlike the clip which Professor Peterson showed on the Apprentice (Peterson, 2007), its product integration of Burger King was skilful and funny which attracted audience attention. What worrying is that, many audiences are unable to realize the effects of advertising. America's Next Top Model's strategy makes advertising very effective. Audiences are familiarized to different products every week: Angara's diamond bracelet this week, Sear's new line of clothing next week, or Autore's pearl the following week. Those who realize the heavy integration of products may not realize that even if they do not pay attention to the brands, they are still vulnerable to "unconscious exposures" (Potter, J.W., 2004). The information we get unconsciously through automatic processing is more likely to lead to faulty interpretations than information that is consciously processed (Potter, J.W., 2004).
Some examples of product placement in America's Next Top Model are the "Covergirl" label on the cosmetics that were used on challenges, the cover of the Seventeen magazine when a representative from Seventeen was being introduced as one of the judges, etc. When people do not have strong conscious resistance to these advertisings, they fall into the habit of welcoming advertisers' persuasion, this is what Potter called "mindless acceptance" (Potter, J.W., 2004). Overtime, our unconscious exposure to these images or ideas will build up patterns in our subconscious, shaping our mind, value, health, and success. (Potter, J.W., 2004). Back in the old days, audiences could skip the 30 seconds commercials by switching channels. Today, audiences can no longer skip commercials, unless they skip the whole episode. Advertisings will never be avoidable again, yet, this is not necessary an evil thing. Adding commercial elements into TV shows may increase entertainment value. The manipulating effects aforementioned would be minimized when audiences are aware of advertisers' influence, and watch the show and make judgments critically. To equip ourselves with strong skills of media literacy is what we, audiences, can do. Certainly, producers have their own commercial pressure to face; that's why it is also a challenge for producers to find the balance between satisfying advertisers and not affecting programs qualities and audiences' enjoyment.
In the last episode of America's Next Top Model Cycle 8, the final three participants were asked to shoot a 30 second commercial and a national print advertisement for CoverGirl cosmetics.
As the competitors worked on their commercials, they were told to introduce CoverGirl cosmetics as "sheer shiny shades that matches 97% of the skin tone" on their shooting ads. Finally, the Covergirl promotional videos of all three participants were played again and again. The result is that, audiences had exposed themselves to a commercial-in-disguise TV show that lasted 40 minutes, and had unconsciously become familiar with this famous cosmetic brand, while sitting on their sofa initially looking for entertainment.
As I recall what Mr. Greg Bonnan said, about how he lowered production fee for Baywatch, he earned a large proportion of advertising revenues from his product placement deals, and earned cars, boats and hotels for filming particular brands (Bonnan, 2007). Can you imagine how much Tyra Banks, the executive producer of America's Next Top Model, has benefited from featuring different brands in her show for the whole 40 minutes every
week?
Another example from America's Next Top Model 4 Cycle 8 is its 1st episode featuring Goodwill the thrift shop's charity fundraising event. The participants' task was to auction off their selected outfit from Goodwill which reflected their personal styles. The participant whose outfit receives the highest bid won the challenge and was rewarded to sign her name on the ceremonial check given to the charity for the vocationally challenged. Based on the script, participants were assigned to look for an outfit in Goodwill store. In other words, there was a brief description on Goodwill store and time was allocated to Goodwill during the whole challenge. This is indeed a very clever method for companies to promote positive image to the public in a natural way.
Though regular commercials are still running between shows, the advertising strategy in the TV industry is urgently changing. The introduction of DVRs is a noteworthy factor. According to The Yankee Group's research in 2002, 76% of the interviewees were not interested in TiVo in a survey regarding public's interest in DVRs. However, in recent years, DVR viewers are rapidly increasing, and the group expects recording devices to be owned by 20% of American household by 2008 (Posnock, 2004). While audiences are changing their TV viewing habits, and TiVo users are given the choice to fast-forward commercials, advertisements are forced to integrate with TV shows. Therefore, "the line between entertainment and advertising is becoming blurred" (Posnock, 2004).
Not only scholars realized this trend, many major advertisers, like Coke and Ford, have started their experiments with product placements on TV. Although sponsorships and product placements has been used effectively in the past, they have their own risks (Posnock 2004). The first season of American Idol's shameless promotion of Coke had irritated many audiences, according to the article It can control Madison Avenue (Posnock , 2004). American Idol seemed to be unskillful at finding the balance between promoting brand messages and not interfering with consumers' enjoyment of the show. Unlike the clip which Professor Peterson showed on the Apprentice (Peterson, 2007), its product integration of Burger King was skilful and funny which attracted audience attention. What worrying is that, many audiences are unable to realize the effects of advertising. America's Next Top Model's strategy makes advertising very effective. Audiences are familiarized to different products every week: Angara's diamond bracelet this week, Sear's new line of clothing next week, or Autore's pearl the following week. Those who realize the heavy integration of products may not realize that even if they do not pay attention to the brands, they are still vulnerable to "unconscious exposures" (Potter, J.W., 2004). The information we get unconsciously through automatic processing is more likely to lead to faulty interpretations than information that is consciously processed (Potter, J.W., 2004).
Some examples of product placement in America's Next Top Model are the "Covergirl" label on the cosmetics that were used on challenges, the cover of the Seventeen magazine when a representative from Seventeen was being introduced as one of the judges, etc. When people do not have strong conscious resistance to these advertisings, they fall into the habit of welcoming advertisers' persuasion, this is what Potter called "mindless acceptance" (Potter, J.W., 2004). Overtime, our unconscious exposure to these images or ideas will build up patterns in our subconscious, shaping our mind, value, health, and success. (Potter, J.W., 2004). Back in the old days, audiences could skip the 30 seconds commercials by switching channels. Today, audiences can no longer skip commercials, unless they skip the whole episode. Advertisings will never be avoidable again, yet, this is not necessary an evil thing. Adding commercial elements into TV shows may increase entertainment value. The manipulating effects aforementioned would be minimized when audiences are aware of advertisers' influence, and watch the show and make judgments critically. To equip ourselves with strong skills of media literacy is what we, audiences, can do. Certainly, producers have their own commercial pressure to face; that's why it is also a challenge for producers to find the balance between satisfying advertisers and not affecting programs qualities and audiences' enjoyment.