Watch This Space

Mass media and marketing are about to change again.

With Tivo's creation of the ultimate opt-in marketing platform, "Product Watch" is an awesome idea, IF the advertisers actually get it.

When you see a brand who has consistently great commercials, or one great commercial (and by commercial, we may speak in broader than 30-second spot terms), say the Ford Sportka virals, and I could keyword and see more Ford Sportka commercials *as entertainment,* this could become a great way for a brand to really innovate, by creating compelling entertainment that users actually seek out.

It's product placement in it's purest form, and I'll tell you something, as a content producer, there are great places to go with this. If I know it's an ad from the get go, but it happens to entertain me, it's a whole different story than sitting down to be entertained, and instead finding myself being advertised to.

So, if any of you are brands or agency types who are looking for a powerful production partner in this space, get in touch with me over at Endemol USA. (We're the guys behind Extreme Makeover: Home Edition; Deal or No Deal; Fear Factor; and Big Brother). Email me at jon dot lawrence at endemol USA dot TV.

We've got a whole lotta neat new media stuff happenin'!