Ren Media
Ren Media
Published on 16th August 2010
At present, Tudou and Youku collectively share 80% of the internet video market in China; however, this all set to change when Tudou launches their original content production initiative known as the “Orange Box” later this month.
Tudou’s “Orange Box” Initiative:
Tudou’s first made-for-internet production “That Love Comes” (欢迎爱光临) is the first of many dramas. Tudou are hoping to engage the younger generation who find Chinese television based on history, family and wartime periods unappealing.
"That Love Comes" Preview Commercial
Tudou already attracts a community of cosmopolitan, fashion conscious, trend seekers and their made-for-internet dramas will continue to target this audience with universal themes of hope, dreams and romance; this also allows brands to aim their advertising budget specifically toward the 18 – 35 demographic.
With this business strategy a new revenue stream has been created with “branded content” appearing throughout “Orange Box” dramas. Product placement, script placement and brand mentions will be used to monetise this new business model. Long-term return on investment is predicted to be high despite production costs exceeding licensing costs for existing shows (Tudou, 2010).
Unilever’s Branded Content Initiative:
In 2008, Unilever used Chinese TV drama “Ugly Wudi” (丑女无敌) as a vehicle for promoting the Dove, Clear and Lipton’s Milk Tea brands and they plan to again with China’s new drama “Unbeatable”. This time Unilever will focus on the Clear dandruff shampoo brand with the drama’s plot revolving around a college graduate, who lands a job at an international public relations company that handles PR for the Clear haircare line.
“The heroine falls in love with the office janitor, who is really a spy from a rival pr agency, leading to problems that make her a tougher individual with "unbeatable" resilience.”
(For Unilever, Branded Drama is Unbeatable in China; Normandy Madden, 2010)
"Unbreakable" Preview Commercial
It is reported that Unilever’s marketing staff worked with the producers of “Ugly Wudi” to tirelessly integrate over 3,300 seconds of the Dove brand into the show’s first season, this prompted viewers to complain about the heavy-handed use of product placement. Unilever cited the simultaneous promotion of three brand products as the main mistake for their first TV drama. The new approach for “Unbeatable” will now only promote one brand to avoid making the same mistake again.
Are Product Placement dramas the future?
Tudou and Unilever’s use of product placement in drama are two very polarising cases because both want to integrate advertising with drama; however, there is a slight difference in approach:
Tudou Dramas are incorporating Brands
Unilever Brands are incorporating Drama
Ideally there would be a perfect balance between branded content and drama content, but it is clear from the “Ugly Wudi” approach that even an ideal balance is difficult to achieve.
With the mobile devices set to drive the growth of internet consumption in China, video websites such as Tudou need to look for new ways to monetise their business model, similarly, brands need to look for new advertising streams that go beyond the home television set.
If Tudou is successful, product placement dramas might just be the next big step in online advertising.
Contributed by Steve Law
