I’m a commercial integration, get me out of here!
Sponsors dropped into TV shows -literally- are not distinguishable enough from actual content.
- Published by David Knox
- on
- Filed under News
If you were watching last night’s episode of I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here! you might have been scratching your head wondering who was Captain Risky and what was he he doing testing the high wire above the South African dam.
Was he the latest Nobody seemingly elevated to Celebrity status by Reality TV?
No, he was just a character for insurance company, Budget Direct, suddenly being passed off as story content.
“This trial is so dangerous, we brought in a specialist daredevil to test it for us,” Dr. Chris Brown told viewers.
Earlier this week Network TEN Chief Sales Officer, Louise Barrett, said: “In taking Captain Risky to South Africa, Budget Direct is really embracing their sponsorship of I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! and taking in-program integration to an exciting new level.
“I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! offers advertisers deep in-show integration, the like of which we have not seen elsewhere. Dropping Captain Risky into the South African jungle is testament to this and the result is set to be great family fun viewing.”
Leaving along whether it was indeed great family fun viewing or not, the Commercial Television Code of Practice stipulates:
Where a licensee receives payment for material that is presented in a program or segment of a program, that material must be distinguishable from other program material…
Last night there were nodisclaimers adjacent to the scene, nor featured in credits at the end of the show. When programmes have family audiences these rules are even more integral.
It’s not the first time a Reality show as used “integration” (formerly known as product placement) to help pay the bills, but it’s becoming a lot more blatant and it’s time ACMA enforced the rules more thoroughly.
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17 Responses
David, how about the Block that is dripping with brand integration. I’d hate to think about how much screen time is devoted to showcasing one of the show’s partner brands during one episode.
Or how about entire segments on ACA that are effectively paid spots by advertisers, with no disclaimers
As far as I have seen The Block credits its sponsors at the end of the show. Code of Practice wording is very specific.
Commercial TV stations have very little respect for the content they broadcast, often treat their audiences with contempt and regularly disregard the rules of broadcasting. But it cuts both ways. I have very little respect for them either, so rarely watch commercial TV and therefore have no idea who ‘Captain Risky’ is. Somehow, I think my life is better for that!
Even less incentive to watch big brother in the jungle!
When i saw this guy appear on the high wire i thought.Who is this idiot.He has no idea what he is doing.Then when the commercial came on things made a heap more sense.If the guy knew what he was doing that would be different but to me that was a waste of everyone’s time.Normally i don’t watch the ads either
Mr Risky was many shades of wrong. It’s when integration ticks more boxes in an office somewhere, than it does for viewers at home. In related news; Very happy that Rhonda’s holiday romance turned into an acting career in Love Child, House of Hancock and one of those Packer inspired dramas. Very worried that she’ll have a car accident in season 2 of Love Child.
So apparently people are now upset that integration goes unnoticed…? How hilarious… I didn’t even know who he was until this article!
If Captain Risky had have worn a Budget Direct sign on his head people would have complained about the ‘in your face’ integration.
I totally agree with Barrie.. no different to Coles in MKR (does your family audience read the credits) or Block integration of which there are numerous (uncredited at the end of the program).
Funny headline. Ridiculous complaint.
Not really any different to contestants of MKR shopping at Coles but Australian TV can’t seem to do product placements without it standing out like a sore thumb
Coles is credited as a sponsor at the end of the show, and is not the focus of the scene.
What are these “rules” for product placement / commercial integration that ACMA should “enforce”?
Hint: there’s no relevant rules; at best, only guidelines. You could always ask the Advertising Standard Bureau to look into it, but that’d be like asking Mr. Fox where all the chickens got to…
I agree David that the rules need to be better enforced. Aussie audiences are largely fed up with the number of commercial breaks there are on shows as is, let alone starting to build so openly into content. To me that was an advertising shot rather than show content. Unless that is spelled out as part and parcel of the format from the word go, it is breaking the rules. MHA, that is largely true but they were obvious adverts then. The audience had no confusion about what was content and what was blatant advertising. And advertisers expected the pisstake back then too. It’s probably lucky that Rhonda has moved on otherwise would they be sending Rhonda and Ketut in?
I didn’t notice, because I don’t watch ads, I just assumed he was a crew member.
Do people actually stay seated and watch ads?!?!
I’m A Commercial, Get Me Out of Here!
Maybe if he was actually the remotest bit funny or clever you could let it slide… but he wasn’t… it was pretty “fast-forward worthy”
Otherwise I’m still quite enjoying IACGMOOH… feels a bit repetitive at times (it should not be on 5 nights), but can be a good laugh… Chrissie Swan is just heaven on earth
Bravo for the story headline David gave me a good belly laugh. That challenge last night was obviously designed for them to fail.
Nothing new, live commercials have been part of TV in this country since the days of Graham Kennedy and I.M.T. back in the 1950s.
But this wasn’t a “live commercial”. It was apparently some “talent” from some insurance company commercial tarted up as part of the program. Big difference. Just like the subliminal advertising of Coles on MKR contestants’ shopping bags.