Advertainment

What Is Advertainment?

Advertainment is a form of marketing that integrates products or brands into entertainment media. Unlike regular ads that directly promote a product, advertainment uses stories, games, or events to entertain the audience, while the advertising is less obvious. You often see advertainment in movies, T.V. shows, video games, and music videos, where the product is part of the entertainment.

A good example is product placement in films. If you’ve ever noticed a character in a movie drinking a specific soda or using a particular phone, that’s advertainment at work.

History of Advertainment

Advertainment has been around for decades. It started as early as the 1930s when products appeared in films or radio shows, like branded sewing machines or other household appliances used by characters. Over the years, as technology evolved and viewers gained more control over what they watched, advertisers needed to find more subtle ways to reach audiences.

In the 1980s and 1990s, the rise of remote controls and DVRs allowed people to skip commercials, so advertisers started focusing on integrating products directly into entertainment content. It led to the growth of advertainment as a critical marketing strategy.

How Does Advertainment Work?

Advertainment works by capturing the audience’s attention through engaging and entertaining content. The storyline or experience subtly includes the product or brand, even if it’s not the main focus. It makes the advertising feel less like a sales pitch and more like part of the entertainment.

For example:

• A car brand might sponsor a thrilling action sequence in a movie, with the car featured prominently.
• A beverage company might create a short film series with their drink featured naturally in the story.
• A video game might include billboards or products from real-world companies in the game environment.

When the brand is naturally part of the entertainment, the audience is likelier to engage with it without feeling overwhelmed by ads.

Why Is Advertainment Effective?

Advertainment is effective because it blends seamlessly into content people are already interested in. Rather than interrupting the entertainment with a traditional commercial, advertainment lets brands be part of the experience. It helps form a stronger bond between the audience and the brand.

Engagement: Because advertainment is entertaining, people are more likely to pay attention to the message. People may not even notice they are seeing an ad, which can make it more memorable.

Emotional Connection: When done well, advertainment can create an emotional response in viewers, which helps form a deeper bond with the brand. This emotional connection often leads to better brand recall and loyalty.

1. Broader Reach: Advertainment can reach more people, especially in digital formats where content is shared online and can go viral.
2. Avoiding Ad Skipping: With the rise of DVRs, streaming services, and ad-blocking tools, many consumers skip traditional ads. Brands engage viewers through advertainment by embedding the product into the content, making it impossible to skip.

Examples of Advertainment

• Red Bull’s Stratos Jump: In 2012, Red Bull sponsored a live event where skydiver Felix Baumgartner jumped from the edge of space. The event was streamed live and drew millions of viewers. It was a thrilling experience that showcased Red Bull’s brand as one associated with extreme sports and adventure.
• BMW Films: BMW created a series of short films in the early 2000s featuring high-speed chases and thrilling action scenes with their cars at the center. The movie entertained and successfully promoted the brand without feeling like a typical ad.
• Reese’s Pieces in E.T.: The 1982 movie “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” featured Reese’s Pieces as a classic example of product placement. After the movie’s release, Reese’s Pieces sales skyrocketed by about 300%, demonstrating the effectiveness of advertainment.

Different Forms of Advertainment

1. Product Placement: A product appears in a movie, T.V. show, or video game during this type of advertainment. The product becomes part of the scene rather than being promoted through a direct ad.
2. Branded Content: This involves creating entertainment content, like web series or short films, that revolves around a brand or product. The storytelling includes the brand, even though it’s not the main focus.
3. Advergaming is when brands create video games or feature their products within existing games. Players engage with the brand while enjoying the game, making it a fun and interactive experience.
4. Sponsored Events: Companies can sponsor events like concerts, sports matches, or extreme sports challenges, making their brand part of the experience.

Advertainment and Responsibility

While advertainment can be a powerful tool for marketers, brands must use it responsibly. Overly aggressive or intrusive advertainment can turn off viewers. The goal is to create content that people enjoy and that adds value to their experience rather than disrupting it.

Advertisers should create advertainment that feel natural and don’t overwhelm the entertainment. If the advertising is too apparent, it can backfire and leave a negative impression on the audience.

Conclusion

Advertainment is an innovative and engaging way to connect with consumers by blending advertising with entertainment. It’s an effective strategy that allows brands to reach their audience without interrupting their entertainment experience. When done right, advertainment can build stronger emotional connections and make the brand a natural part of the viewer’s world. Whether through product placement, branded content, or advergaming, advertainment is all about creating fun, memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression.