NIELSEN: PRODUCT PLACEMENTS ROSE 6% IN 1Q

The Nielsen Co. reported Monday that product placements for the first quarter of 2008 rose 6 percent on primetime programming for the 11 measured networks on broadcast (ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, MNT, NBC) and cable television (A&E, Bravo, HGTV, MTV, TLC).

Broadcast television placements rose 39 percent, while cable television was essentially flat at minus 1 percent.

There were 117,976 brand occurrences on cable and broadcast networks in the first three months of the year, according to Nielsen Product Placement Service.

The most prevalent placement type on broadcast television was "foreground," which represented 35 percent of all product placements. On cable television, "wardrobe" placements were most common, accounting for 32 percent of all placements.

Top Broadcast Television Programs
Prime-time product placement occurrences on broadcast networks increased overall by 39 percent during the first quarter of 2008. The top 10 programs featured 15,404 occurrences in the first three months of this year—compared to 8,893 occurrences in the same time period in 2007. The Biggest Loser, with 3,977 occurrences, was the top program, in terms of the number of placements. Four of the top 10 programs aired on CW, and six programs had over 1,000 placements.

Because of the recent writers strike, many programs were shifted from their standard airing times. Big Brother, which usually airs during the summer months, was moved up to the first quarter to fill in empty slots. The Apprentice also altered its normal schedule of episodes, airing the same number of episodes between January and March of 2008 as were run from January through April of 2007.

In addition, Deal or No Deal featured a special NFL-themed episode, originally aired in September 2007 and re-run in the first quarter 2008, which featured an NFL logo on the stage, NFL helmets throughout the set, and models and contestants clad in NFL apparel. That episode alone had 1,372 product placements. All other Deal or No Deal episodes during the first quarter of 2008 had less than 100 occurrences.

Top Broadcast Television Brands
The top 10 featured brands on prime-time broadcast network television increased by 52 percent in the first quarter this year, from 4,253 occurrences in 2007 to 6,453 during the first three months of 2008.

Coca-Cola, primarily through its association with American Idol, was again the top brand, with 2,380 occurrences for this time period. The Feb. 21 episode of American Idol with Coca-Cola was especially well received by the viewing audience—nearly 60 percent recognized the brand and responded positively to it.

24 Hour Fitness Centers (1,545 occurrences) and Pussycat Dolls Lounge Nightclubs (479

occurrences) rounded out the top three brands on broadcast television. Notably, six of the top 10

brands are associated with sports/exercise.

Top Broadcast Television Product Categories
The top five product categories on broadcast network television had more than 1,000 placements

each. Among these, soft drinks ranked first, with 2,502 placements. Of these, Coca-Cola accounted for 2,380. The apparel, fitness centers/clubs, football team and exercise equipment groups also made the top five.

Top Cable Television Programs
The top 10 cable programs that featured product placements accounted for 59,308 occurrences in the first quarter of 2008—an increase of 16 percent from 50,940 during the first quarter of 2007. American Chopper on TLC was again the top program, with 16,164 placements. Half of the programs in the Top 10 air on MTV, and another three air on Bravo.

Top Cable Television Brands
The top 10 featured brands on prime-time cable network television in this year’s first quarter

accounted for 17,356 occurrences—a 28 percent increase from 13,501 occurrences in 2007. Under

Armour apparel was the top brand, with 2,960 occurrences for this time period—mainly through its association with the program Real World Road Rules Challenge. Each brand in the top 10 placed more than 1,000 placements.

Notably, the top performing placements were not heavy weights in terms of activity; these included Home Depot on the Feb. 10 episode of HGTV’s Color Splash, Flow Power Tools on TLC’s American Chopper, and Hershey’s integration on Bravo’s Project Runway. Each impacted more than half the viewing audience in terms of brand recognition and positive feeling.

Top Cable Television Product Categories
With 18,307 placements apparel was easily the No. 1 product placement category on cable television during the first quarter of 2008. The top three apparel brands each had more than 1,000 placements during the first quarter: Under Armour apparel (2,960 occurrences), Orange County Choppers apparel (2,264 occurrences), and Big Black apparel (1,149 occurrences). Nike apparel and Sean John apparel also ranked among the top five apparel brands.