Howard Davidson Arlington MA - Real companies hire fictional agency in “buy this!” www.howardjdavidson.com Howard Davidson writes about about advertising, social media and marketing with a touch of sarcasm.

1. Real Companies Hire Fictional
Agency in “Buy This!”
by
Howard Davidson, Arlington, MA
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington MA

2. In Finnish sitcom “Buy This!,” real
companies work with the show’s
fictional ad agency.
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington MA

3. An unusual collaboration is brewing
between TBWA Helsinki and
FremantleMedia, the company that
produces “American Idol” and “America’s
Got Talent.” The two companies have
combined forces to create a sitcom called
“Buy This!,” with TBWA Helsinki creating
ad campaigns and Fremantle
writing/producing the 30-minute episodes.
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington MA

4. What gives this sitcom a swanky twist is that
“Buy This!” features real brands – including
Nissan – hiring the show’s fictional agency to
create ads. (Product placement on TV has
come so far since the good old days of a box of
Cheerios sitting conspicuously on the edge of
the counter!) So far, “Buy This!” appears to be
a hit, as it is performing well in the all-important
Sunday primetime slot on Finland’s
biggest network.
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington MA

5. It’s hard to see how this collaboration could be
anything less than a win for all players. The
brands get extensive exposure to the audience
of a popular sitcom. TBWA Helsinki gets to flex
their creative muscles for brands with which
they (largely) are not currently associated.
Fremantle, for their part, does what they
usually do – reap the rewards of a successful
television program.
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington MA

6. The project is especially cool for each
show’s featured brands. The reason I
say this comes from a quote from the
vice president of TBWA Helsinki’s
innovation unit, Juha-Matti Raunio.
Raunio says:
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington MA

7. “The format allows you to let loose, and
gives you the courage to experiment
more, and create a new kind of
campaign. We’ve tested new ideas like
looking at what would happen if you sell
a brand to women instead of men.”
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington MA

8. The benefit to the brand here is enormous.
The ability to test-market new audiences
with little to no risk is a no-brainer, and
explains why the first season features 10 of
the top 15 advertisers in Finland. As long as
the show continues to garner ratings, “Buy
This!” will provide heightened visibility for
TBWA Helsinki and Fremantle, not to
mention the brands featured on each
episode.
Good job guys!
Howard Davidson Arlington Massachusetts
Slide By :- Howard Davidson Arlington MA