News from RJ Palmer

This 2011 upfront was stronger than we had anticipated. While we predicted increases around 5%, actual increases were 6-10%. Upfront budgets were up significantly, primarily due to a shift by advertisers from scatter spending into the upfront. And cable benefited even further as dollars also moved from broadcast into cable.

We expect the scatter market will present opportunities in a number of dayparts as the economy remains sluggish and much of last year's scatter has already been placed in the upfront. Unforeseen spending (like BP's current damage control PR effort) could effect the marketplace but we will keep a close watch and make sure you are informed of any changes.

On the local front, political and issue advertising is driving significant price increases in most of the country. Increases vary by market but they are real and steep, and will impact buys from now and until the November elections and potentially beyond.

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On a different note, the attached Ad Age article,

The viewer who stayed tuned for your :30 spot is suddenly reaching for the remote when you go "too commercial" in their favorite TV program or online content viewing. And while most brand managers and creatives grasp this concept in theory when it comes to shooting day it is hard to let go of "ad copy mentality."

Our superior human antennae identify commercial time instantly and grant advertisers a great deal of leeway to present the brand's case within unspoken but well-established boundaries (more about this and Frances' comments in this Ad Age article, How Cisco Got the Spotlight in CNBC News Segments). When brands become part of programming time, however, a new set of rules goes into place. Viewers will accept your brand if the magic of the storyline is not interrupted with heavy-handed copy or graphics. How do you stay authentic, respect the viewers' program time and still get meaningful brand information across?

Style guidelines for logos, product jargon and tag lines take second place to authenticity if your brand is going to be invited into this part of a viewer's media turf.

1) If you are setting a scene in front of a store where your store name or logo will be slightly obscured but still decipherable, give the viewer credit for putting the pieces together. This is especially the case for established brands where name recognition is not an issue but hitting a viewer over the head with a scene distraction is. The human mind can unsift a visual puzzle in seconds and will actually stay better engaged when working out a teaser like this.

2) Product jargon and tag lines are important in ads but should fit everyday speech patterns on the set, particularly in reality programs. Asking a contestant or reality star to deliver a pre-arranged line or say something a second time with a slight variation, rarely looks natural. Discuss parameters in advance and if they have expressed a core copy point a little differently but authentically consider leaving it alone. That is after all how we mortals re-quote (and misquote) your commercials in real life. The secret to a memorable on-screen moment is in the sentiment not the script.

3) Casting in commercials is an art and a science. You know the look you want to appeal to your core demo and can pick the wardrobe and props that fit your brand's optimal world. In programming people and characters live in worlds storied with ups and downs, plot twists, bad guys who have heart and good guys who turn out bad. Who handles your brand in the episode is important but do not get too caught up in what will happen to characters in future episodes. Writers/producers can let you know if a major character shift is planned and steer you away from an integration that jeopardizes key brand features. Tell them your concerns and together make a great choice for this episode.

4) What should you control? While your product may not be the star of the show, it is an important supporting character that adds to the show's genuineness or moves the storyline along in such a way that viewers could not re-imagine the scene without it. Your brand should not be abused, mis-used or made light of without your approval. Just as you do for commercial shoots, the producer will capture a few beauty shots of your product that can be used for visual transitions, intros and show montage moments. These clips are an editor's best friend. As with logos, don't jump the cameraman or prop master if the product is not lit as you normally light tabletops for print ads or turned fully toward the camera. If an actor or contestant lifts your product and places it elsewhere non-chalantly recognize the gem you've just captured and know that there are other shots in the can that will, together, tell the brand's whole story.

Remember, you have more than 30 seconds of the viewer's attention, if you play it right. Keep in mind that subtlety has its place (here) and your viewers will be tempted to become your consumer.