I watched it on a dare. I have to admit it is hilarious and offers a few good advice in the process.
Posted on 08/04/2003 1:09:26 PM PDT by bedolido
LOS ANGELES (AdAge.com) -- Major marketers are ogling placement deals on the breakout hit Queer Eye for the Straight Guy even as NBC plots an Aug. 14 special in which they will make over Jay Leno. Highest-ever rating Audience numbers for the July 29 Queer Eye, in its fourth airing on Bravo, shot up 62% from the prior week, according to Nielsen Media Research, earning the cable network its highest-ever rating. "This is the breakout show of the summer on any network, cable or broadcast," crowed Jeff Zucker, president-NBC Entertainment. "It's out of control right now."
The Queer Eye premise: One straight man agrees to have his lifestyle, hair, clothing and accessories made over by five gay men dubbed the Fab Five. All are experts in different areas -- grooming, food and wine, fashion, culture and interior design.
Jay Leno makeover On July 24 Bravo parent NBC aired a Queer Eye special that compressed the hourlong cable show into a 30-minute-long program. Mr. Zucker said NBC plans one more Queer Eye special, and it will feature the boys from the show making over the Tonight Show host, AdAge.com has learned.
The makeover monster hit was originally launched with small product-placement deals -- Diesel jeans, Redken hair products, Wilson Leather, along with small salons and restaurants that don't normally advertise on TV. Now, said Vivi Zigler, senior vice president of marketing and advertising for the series, more mainstream consumer marketing companies are looking for tie-ins.
'Anointing' brands "Yes, I have clients that want to get in on the show," said Rich Yaffa, president of the Leverage Group, a division of Mediaedge:cia. "You have experts on the show who are recommending products. These experts are anointing brands." But, he added, "how this will drive sales is another question."
"When Bravo first brought it out I know that a lot of clients wanted in," said Laura Caraccioli-Davis, vice president and director at Starcom Entertainment. "Lots of marketers with products in interior decorating, makeover and clothing showed interest." She added, "It's the perfect vehicle for retailers."
Indeed, Ms. Zigler said retailers "are interested in having a Queer Eye presence in their stores," although she wouldn't disclose specific names. "We are sifting through those inquiries."
Infomercial issue "The show lends itself to product placement," said David Collins, a Queer Eye executive producer. "We are showing, for example, the process of how to shave, as opposed to what blade to use. And that is a way of creatively having balance in the show, so that you don't become one big infomercial."
Mr. Collins said he is nearing a marketing deal with an alcoholic beverage. Already Queer Eye has used product placement for Disaronno Originale Amaretto, and Disaronno runs TV spots on Bravo.
P&G's Whitestrips Procter & Gamble Co.'s Crest Whitestrips already has an early start with product placement in the show. Whitestrips has targeted gay men in magazine ads and considers them part of the brand's core consumer base, but it sees Queer Eye primarily as a way to reach women, the spokesman said.
In fact, Bravo initially marketed the show to women 18 to 49 as its primary target, with a secondary target of gay men. In its third week, the show attracted, according to Nielsen, 2.8 million total viewers and 2.1 million adults age 18 to 49. That made it the No. 1-rated program among adults 18 to 49 on ad-supported cable during its time slot.
NBC's version earned a 3.3 rating and 10 share among adults 18 to 49 and attracted 6.9 million viewers. It was second after CBS's CSI.
Content is key Scout Productions, Queer Eye's production company, is eyeing marketing partners, but said it won't blink when it comes to content. "The hook of the show is the story," said Mr. Collins. "We never want that interfered with because of product placement."
Not everyone, however, is sold on Queer Eye. Mitch Kanner, a partner with Integrated Entertainment Partners, Beverly Hills, said the show is "too obvious an environment [for product placement]. ... Not all programming lends itself to integration."
~ ~ ~ Jack Neff contributed to this report.
Viewership jumped from 3 to 5.
"Just a touch of shadow here... should give you that... Come Hither look!"
I feel the same way. I shouldn't like it, but I think it's freakin' hilarious.
I watched it on a dare. I have to admit it is hilarious and offers a few good advice in the process.
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