Free Publicity For Your Business
If you aren’t a company with an unlimited marketing budget, getting your product seen on TV or in the movies isn’t easy.
So you’re in the movie theatre or watching a sitcom on TV, and you’re thinking, “How’d this two-bit joke get into the script? They must have known somebody. Why couldn’t the audience be cheering for me?” But anyone who watches a fair amount of TV or goes to the movies has also probably noticed it’s not just the Miller Lites and American Airlines of the world that are getting their 15 minutes of fame. Every once in awhile, an average Joe-type of product will be given prominent placement.
Of course, you don’t have to wait for Hollywood to come to you to get your company name in lights. Producers like Joey Carson, CEO of Bunim/Murray Productions, which produces numerous reality TV series including MTV’s The Real World and Road Rules, encourages entrepreneurs to approach them. “We do a lot of deals with small companies,” says Carson, who thinks there’s something special about working with the underdog entrepreneurs. “I’m always happy if there’s any way I can give encouragement to a business by working out a trade-off or product placement deal.”
Once you learn the name of the production company that produces a show (which you can get by watching the credits if you somehow can’t find it on the internet), don’t call them ask to speak to the producer or someone in business development. You’re just going to put them on the spot and encourage a “no, thanks.” Instead, send your pitch in writing. And when you do, pitch your product, not a scenario of how you think the series or movie should use your product. “That’s a turn-off,” admits Carson. “The best way to approach it is to present an overview of your company in general, and whatever product line you have, and then just maybe say, ‘We welcome the opportunity of how our product might be a part of your show,’ and leave it at that. On our side, we’ll know if it’s a fit or not.”
1. Put on your brainstorming cap. What type of show or movie would you like to see your business in? When attempting to reach your target market, you really need to think about the types of programming they’re most likely to watch. If you’re marketing lipstick to teenagers, for instance, approaching teen-oriented sitcoms would be smart. If your product is aimed at stay-at-home moms, you might want to consider everything from soap operas to daytime talk shows. The important thing is to stay away from thinking about your own personal favorite programs and instead think about what’s a good fit for your product. Put yourself in the shoes of the producer or business development person. If you can honestly envision your product being a help to their show, then that show is probably one you should approach.
2. Once you have your list, start looking for contacts. There are a few ways to get the information you need. If it’s a TV show you’re interested in, try searching the end credits of the show to find out who the show’s producer is. A little internet searching should turn up the production company’s contact information. Or you can go directly to the search engines to find the show’s site where you’ll find the name and possibly the contact information for the production company. If it’s not there, try searching directly for the website of the productions and start trolling for the appropriate name of someone who might want to see your media kit. One piece of advice: Be sure to approach several production companies–like cold calling, product placement success is a numbers game.
3. Send a media kit. Once you’ve located contact information for the companies you’d like to contact, mail them a media kit that includes a cover letter, photos and descriptions of your product or service and contact information so they can reach you if they’re interested. Do not call anyone, unless it’s a receptionist to get the name of someone to send a letter to.
4. Don’t oversell. Producers will either like what they see–or not. You aren’t going to talk them into anything.
5. Be careful about suggesting a scene that the producers might use your product in. For instance, a good way to go about it might be “Since our doughnut shop is based in Chicago and ER is set in the same city, please keep us in mind…” Suggesting that Luka or Abby might want to share breakfast over doughnuts is also probably safe, but even that may be more details than the producers would care to hear. Deciding how to use your product is their business; bringing your product to their attention, in a low-key and professional way, is yours.
