Bandersnatch: Programmatic product placement could be just around the corner for Netflix
Given the increased tendency for consumers to block ads and the effectiveness of quality product placement, programmatic product placement may just become a new channel of choice for advertisers and Bandersnatch may have been Netflix testing the water, suggests Justin Peyton of Digitas Singapore.
Over the festive break, my Facebook feed filled up with people talking about Black Mirror: Bandersnatch. Being on holiday, I didn’t pay much attention to what they were talking about. I was limiting my online time and I was in no hurry to watch anything. But now, I’m back. I’m reconnected. And I get it.
Netflix changed the entertainment game with its data-driven approach to content recommendations, and to commissioning original programming. With Bandersnatch you have to ask, is the streaming provider extending that approach and changing the game of product placement this time around?
It’s too early to tell, but we can intuit a lot about where they see the future of entertainment, and the monetisation of content. For those of you who have not seen Bandersnatch let me explain: the show is an interactive choose your own adventure story where the viewer decides on certain actions the lead character takes – with each action leading to different possible endings.
Never seen this take before. Love it. Very clever.
Brilliant. Love it!
They already do this on that show with reruns (updating brands on packets, bottles, taxis’ etc)
Netflix would be acutely aware that their paying customers, who are trying to escape cable and free tv’s ads would not tolerate traditional tv advertising on their platform, so this seems like a natural step towards diversified revenue streams.
It does seem fairly limited to FMCG products only however. P&G, Kellogg’s etc would be creaming their pants right now…
When I watched/played Bandersnatch (as it really is more of a gaming experience). I made Stefan do the opposite of all the things I would have done. That included making him pick the worse of the cereals (in my opinion).