Mark Burnett Defends Ad Integration into Program Content

In television programming says Survivor and The Apprentice creator Mark Burnett quotthe creative endeavor is critical It always comes back to creating great content that people like It all relies on good and interesting ideas but we shouldn39t be so full of ourselves to believe we can reject the integration of advertisers39 products into content which is a necessary tool for the networks to remain profitablequot In an exclusive interview with MediaVillage Burnett responded to a growing litany of critics reporters and government regulators who suggest integration of marketers39 products into content is somehow inappropriatequotPeople39s livelihoods are on the linequot Burnett commented quotNew media technologies like TiVo videoondemand and IPTV are all real They are reducing the captive audiences of TV networks and this will inevitably create more revenue pressures on the networks and producers The best way to stem this flow of income is through integration which helps them retain income Companies need to make a profit and if the economics of the industry are requiring integration the issue is how to organically and creatively implant it in the storyquotBurnett argues that inappropriate and offensive integration will ultimately be rejected by both the public and by advertisers quotIt39s a free market economy If you cross the line the public will reject it If it39s not a relevant and creative opportunity for advertisers they will not support it In the end commercial TV exists to sell products It39s not charity we are making shows to sell commercials To be honest writers producers and directors are there to attract people to watch commercials You cannot look at the purity and integrity of content without recognizing that reality We need artists to create content that works and these artists need to be reasonable about allowing products to be integrated What does it matter if a show has a can of soda that has actually paid to be on the tablequotBurnett tells the story of his 12yearold son James who watches most TV with the assistance of TiVo quotIsn39t it great in a weird way that people who buy commercials don39t care that we don39t watch them anymorequot James recently said to his dad Burnett laughs quotin his mind every kid in the country is skipping through commercials He thinks 39isn39t it great they pay anyway39 I told him it39s not great Advertisers are not happy about it They39re worried He thought about that and said 39Oh I get it That39s why in Survivor you put commercials of stuff in the show39 Out of the mouths of babesquotHowever Burnett warns quotit39s a mistake to create programming designed specifically for integration Anybody who creates content specifically aimed at focusing attention on the advertising within a show will fail The very thing that works is you are watching for the fun and enjoyment of the program and hopefully staying through the commercial messages Integration should seamlessly work and it is definitely a craft I don39t believe anyone should set down a path designed around integration as the first priority In The Apprentice integration opportunities just happened We realized we couldn39t always have lemonade stands We were begging retail stores to allow us to shoot there free When they began selling products others suddenly started calling usquotBurnett adds quotin the end the truth is anyone making TV shows who truly believes at least part of their function is not creating a place for ads is deluded The networks need new ways of getting advertisers39 messages to viewers and the networks are not our enemy They pay the wages They support the economy We all work in commercial TV to assist companies in selling productsquot

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Mark Burnett Defends Ad Integration into Program Content

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