Here’s a sneak peek at our Dec. 12 issue of Marketing.
How Bombardier got a starring role in William Shatner’s new documentary
When Canadian television veteran Craig Thompson sat down with William Shatner during a film festival in Stratford, Ont., two years ago, they discussed their love of documentaries. Shatner was promoting his documentary called Gonzo Ballet and shared an idea with Thompson: interview the five performers who succeeded him as Star Trek leaders. In true Shatner style, he sold his idea to Thompson, who pitched it to broadcasters both in Canada and the U.S. Thompson raised $1.3 million, and The Captains was born.
But there was one big problem: the $1.3 million wasn’t enough to cover transportation costs for Shatner and the film crew. Given tight production deadlines (the film was shot in a week) flying commercial was out of the question. Thompson reached out to Montreal-based Bombardier, explained the situation and asked to use a jet. Two days later he received a call from the company’s president of business aircraft, Steve Ridolfi, who liked the idea of adding a little star power to its jet brand.
“Bombardier’s jet division has a lot of corporate clients all over the world, but for some reason their competitors seem to get more of a celebrity market in Hollywood,” says Thompson, president of Ballinran Entertainment. Shots of the jet are subtly inserted into the film (and the trailer), and used to help transition between locations across North America and London (the home of Patrick Stewart).
Shatner has said the documentary wouldn’t have been made if not for the help of Bombardier. But isn’t the original Captain Kirk raking in enough residuals to cover the costs? Couldn’t he pick up the travel tab?
The great thing about Shatner, says Thompson, is that he recognizes his own brand power. “He’s bringing something of value to the table to Bombardier.”
But there’s an art to product placement. Thompson, who was once a producer for the CBC and OLN networks, has worked with Home Hardware, Ford, Campbell’s Soup and the Canadian Tourism Commission to create branded content and product integration. Here are his tips for marketers looking to enter the product-placement arena:
TAKE A RISK, TAKE A MEETING
Not sure if product placement is a good fit for your brand? Set up a brainstorming meeting with a broadcaster. They’re more interested in discussing branded content than before. Thompson says there are stories that fit almost every brand. It may take some creative thinking to figure out what that fit is, but if you think of the story first and the brand second, usually something emerges.
STRIKE A BALANCE
Too often, content creators give a product or brand too much screen time, says Thompson. Done improperly, product placement can interrupt the flow of a television program or negatively impact the integrity of the show. It’s important that brand managers and content creators work together to strike a good balance that doesn’t call the quality of the editorial content into question, says Thompson.
BE SEEN AND HEARD
While product placement can increase brand awareness on a national scale, it’s still important to support these efforts with more traditional advertising so consumers know when to tune in. “In-store promotion or brand promotion is an important element of driving the audience to watch the show,” says Thompson. “If you don’t have that promotional backing then the show is not likely to succeed in the same way.” And don’t forget: patience is a virtue. It can take time for product placement to resonate with audiences, he says.
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