Mktg – McDonald’s gets a new clown and then some, thanks to NBC

When NBC said Jay Leno’s new prime-time show would be a willing home for advertiser pitches, it wasn’t kidding. The custom-created set’s nearly as big as an airplane hangar, with plenty of room for Leno to drive his beloved classic cars, and presumably a sponsor’s, on stage. He’s likely to do live commercials, a tactic that’s both a throwback to TV’s early days and one used in current daytime chat shows. Now, NBC is partnering with McDonald’s to promote The Jay Leno Show with the launch of a month-long Monopoly game. Leno will get exposure in McD’s 13,000 restaurants, which could be a real boon for his move from late night to 10 p.m. (There are a lot of naysayers on how well this time switch will work out). And the fast food chain will get a mini-version of its restaurant on the show, which is a precedent setter. The game works like this: Stars of NBC shows will roll dice—yes, synergy at work. Consumers will win as much as $1 million in cash. And Leno will frame it all with advertiser-friendly banter. That’s one way to deal with the current ad climate, where marketers want the most bang out of their buck, including new levels of brand integration and talent involvement. What remains to be seen is how the audience reacts to such front-and-center shilling.

—Posted by T.L. Stanley