Reality TV: Mediavest Worldwide, Herbal Essences
Dec 1, 2008
Most companies looking to be part of MTV's ultra-hip Video Music Awards program simply buy commercial time. Herbal Essences, along with MediaVest Worldwide, took that one step farther: They created a reality TV show around the event.
In the summer of 2007, Herbal Essences had just completed a relaunch that positioned the hair care product as fun and flirty. The company needed to keep the buzz going and set the tone for a fall promotion, which would be dubbed "Great Escapes." The answer was to use on-pack promotion-a first for the marketer- to drive consumers to herbalessences.mtv.com for a sweepstakes in which the big winner would attend the MTV Video Music Awards and star in a reality TV program about the adventure.
The winner of " My VMA Fantasy Weekend" was a woman named Lauren, who traveled to Las Vegas for the taping of the VMAshow, received primping from a celebrity stylist and partied with MTV talent.
Lauren's dream weekend was chronicled in a 30-minute reality TV show that ran virtually commercial-free. Only two 30-second spots for Herbal Essences broke up the action.
According to an IAG study, 42 percent of viewers were aware that Herbal Essences was a sponsor of the 2007 VMAs, and 59 percent said they would consider purchasing the product after having seen the awards show. The reality show generated traffic to the Herbal Essences Web site, which recorded triple-digit increases over the year before.
"With the My VMA Fantasy Weekend custom 30-minute program, we were able to complement and amplify the excitement around the VMAs and further drive buzz for the brand," said Chris Dorne, vice president/director of production at MediaVest, which develops branded-entertainment campaigns. "Having the hottest awards show 'escape' to Las Vegas, a fantasy world for young adults, allowed us to organically weave Herbal Essences' Great Escape campaign throughout the 30-minute program, the weekend and all aspects of the partnership with MTV."
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2008 Buzz Awards Winners
Millions Are Talking: Do you know who is creating the buzz?
Grand Prize Winner: McDonald's Brave New World
Event Marketing: ABC Domestic TV, Dr. Scholl's for Her
Online: Proximity Canada, Alka-Seltzer
Viral Marketing: Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, Adobe Creative Suite
Music: The Marketing Arm, AT&T
Outdoor/Out-of-Home: Butler Shine Stern & Partners, MINI Cooper
Print: Fallon Minneapolis, Sci Fi Channel
Radio: OMD, Visa
Reality TV: Mediavest Worldwide, Herbal Essences
Scripted Television: R&R Partners, Valley Metro
Social Media: OMD, McDonald's
Sports: Mediavest, Sprite
Wireless: Moxie Interactive, FOX Studios/Jumper
Integrated Campaign: Campfire, Verizon/a>
Public Relations: Coburn Communications and AARP
User-Generated: Catapult Marketing, Pedigree
Film/Movie: Davie Brown Entertainment, Mountain Dew
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