{"id":15563,"date":"2022-06-20T08:17:00","date_gmt":"2022-06-20T08:17:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brandinnovator.wpenginepowered.com\/innovator-insights-ben-groups-jordan-usdin\/"},"modified":"2024-01-04T14:53:49","modified_gmt":"2024-01-04T14:53:49","slug":"innovator-insights-ben-groups-jordan-usdin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brand-innovators.com\/news\/innovator-insights-ben-groups-jordan-usdin\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovator Insights: BEN Group\u2019s Jordan Usdin"},"content":{"rendered":"

At first glance, there might not be a lot to connect content like Grace and Frankie, Never Have I Ever and the film Sonic the Hedgehog. <\/p>\n

Look a little closely, however, and you\u2019ll notice they all make mention of real estate marketplace Zillow \u2013 but in a natural and authentic way that is the hallmark of Jordan Usdin and the team at BEN<\/a>.<\/p>\n

As the senior vice president of client development <\/strong>for the Los Angeles-based agency, Usdin helps lead efforts to educate marketers about the best practices in product placement and music integrations. This not only includes Zillow but Benjamin Moore, Frito-Lay, Buick and Marriott, among others.<\/p>\n

\u201cYears ago, it used to be a vanity play and more of a nice-to-have,\u201d Usdin told Brand Innovators.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut as we’ve worked with our research and measurement team to put measurable results behind it, we\u2019re seeing a lot more companies that see product placement as an essential part of their marketing mix.\u201d<\/p>\n

BEN has worked with 605, for example, to study the impact of product placements with major brands<\/a> such as General Mills. The partners found that when Honey Nut Cheerios was placed in the CBS show, Mom, sales increased double digits for exposed viewers aged 18-34, and across exposed households with an income of $50k+ and 1+ child(ren) aged 0-18. The research showed similar results when Old El Paso was integrated into a Lifetime holiday film and Rachel Ray\u2019s cooking show.<\/p>\n

Usdin said BEN has also learned that, far from competing with each other, product placements and traditional ads perform even better when they\u2019re used in tandem. Brands should see product placements as a way to \u201creach the unreachable,\u201d he said \u2013 particularly younger viewers who are either cord-cutters or who have never had cable to begin with. Brands also turn to BEN when they want to use product placements as a way to ensure they\u2019re part of the cultural conversation.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt all ties back to \u2018What does success look like for your brand?\u2019\u201d Usdin said. \u201cIs it just showing up in content? Or is it really getting a message about your brand to the right people? I think when we can find a moment to illustrate everything that they’re about and bring that awareness play, as well as that relevancy piece, we\u2019ve served a brand well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Usdin offered some other helpful advice for marketers who are new to product placements \u2013 or who have under-utilized them:<\/p>\n

Recognize the difference between insertion and true brand integration<\/strong><\/p>\n

During the recent Newfronts\/Upfronts events, Amazon made headlines for its announcement of virtual product placement (VPP), where brands could have their goods digitally placed into content after it has been shot and produced. Similarly, Peacock announced what it called \u201cIn-Scene\u201d ads that will identify key moments within a show and digitally insert a message or product. <\/p>\n

Usdin pointed out, however, that these forms of insertion are temporary placements. He contrasted those offerings with BEN\u2019s more story-driven approach, which becomes a permanent part of the show or film.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause we’re working with the writers in the actual writers room, we’re finding authentic, organic moments for a brand to be there,\u201d he explained. \u201cWhen we work with Zillow, for example, they want to be all around family moments, like when a family is looking to purchase a new home. It\u2019s more of an opportunity for the characters to actually discuss a product, versus kind of being an afterthought.\u201d<\/p>\n

Seek expertise to cover the full range of brand safety issues<\/strong><\/p>\n

It\u2019s bad enough when a product feels forced-fit into a piece of content or distracts from the story. What\u2019s worse is if the product somehow gets a character into trouble, or is used in a way that creates a negative connotation about the brand. While Peleton obviously didn\u2019t pay to have Mr. Big die on one of its bikes in the first episode of HBO\u2019s And Just Like That, it offered a cautionary tale for marketers about how their products could \u201cshow up\u201d in the wrong way. <\/p>\n

Usdin said CMOs and their teams can avoid those scenarios by working with an agency that understands the risks. A good partner will work with producers to ensure a brand doesn\u2019t see its competitors in the content, for instance, as well as danger zones that are more specific to a particular brand.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of our travel clients allows consumers to rent homes, but you\u2019re not legally allowed to have parties in the home when you book one. Therefore, they don’t want to see a party portrayed in entertainment,\u201d he said. \u201cWhether you’re working with a product placement agency or not, definitely make sure you have representation in the entertainment space.\u201d<\/p>\n

The right product placement complements and builds upon a campaign theme<\/strong><\/p>\n

Buick might have once been considered the vehicle for an older demographic. When the company came out with a newer model, however, there was a campaign theme that suggested people couldn\u2019t believe the new model was, in fact, a Buick. Usdin said BEN worked to amplify that theme into content like the Reese Witherspoon show Big Little Lies. <\/p>\n

Usdin said there are similar opportunities for brand categories that are less known for product placement, such as Fintech and even traditional banks that are trying to market caf\u00e9-style customer experiences. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhen this is done well it doesn\u2019t just get you in front of people,\u201d he said. \u201cIt can change perceptions about a brand as well.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At first glance, there might not be a lot to connect content like Grace and Frankie, Never Have I Ever and the film Sonic the Hedgehog.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":15564,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nInnovator Insights: BEN Group\u2019s Jordan Usdin<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"At first glance, there might not be a lot to connect content like Grace and Frankie, Never Have I Ever and the film Sonic the Hedgehog.\u00a0\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/brand-innovators.com\/news\/innovator-insights-ben-groups-jordan-usdin\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta 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