Web series aiming to entice viewers and shoppers
Viewers who stumble across the Canadian YouTube series “Upstairs Amy” might not realize it at first, but the comic foibles of its working-mom star are actually part of an elaborately constructed advertisement.
Not until 3 1/2 minutes into the show does Walmart Canada and payment transaction company Interac reveal they’re behind each episode. By then, audiences have already become acquainted with Amy’s adventurous lifestyle and the fabulous party hosted in her friend’s apartment.
“Upstairs Amy” is one of the latest experiments in “branded web content” made by Shaftesbury, the Toronto production house behind TV hits like “Murdoch Mysteries” and “Frankie Drake Mysteries.” While the show is packed with sequences familiar to sitcom audiences, there are also a number of subtle advertising cues that aren’t obvious at first glance.
For example, Amy’s kitchen is stocked with appliances from one particular sponsor, while a memorable scene revolves around a hunky Walmart delivery man who shows up at Amy’s door with her web order.
Each episode closes with a reminder that “Upstairs Amy” is financed by two corporate interests, but as far as its creators are concerned, this project is entertainment first and marketing second.
“Really all we’re doing is reinventing the idea of the soap opera,” said Kaaren Whitney-Vernon, senior vice president of branded entertainment at Shaftesbury.
“People are so tired of being advertised to, they’re blocking it as much as they can.”
While only a few Canadian brands have dabbled in branded web series, some predict more companies will consider sponsored programming in the hopes of rising above the clutter of traditional commercials.
Years ago, brands would’ve paid big bucks to sneak their logos into network TV series. “American Idol” hosts chugged beverages from Coca-Cola glasses, while Tim Hortons paid for placement on series including “Arrested Development” and “Homeland.” Rachel obsessed over Pottery Barn for an entire episode of “Friends.”
A Nielsen study released last fall suggests those branded moments are falling out of favour. Placements dropped four per cent in the 2016-17 TV season, after already tumbling eight per cent a year earlier.
Whitney-Vernon wants more companies to think beyond fleeting product placements and 30second spots to customer relationships that build through an entire storyline.