Thursday, May 17th, 2012
The show has lined up more than 20 integration partners, with such major advertisers as General Motors, General Electric and Procter & Gamble spending anywhere from $300,000 to $3 million for a role on “Martha.” “Martha Stewart always does things with added flair and personality, and we are expecting massive integration from her, which will bring new meaning to branded entertainment for daytime,” said Jeff Greenfield, executive vp at branded entertainment firm 1st Approach. “In a sense, we have ‘Restaurant’- or ‘Apprentice’-style integration in a daytime show.” However, according to 1st Approach’s Greenfield, advertisers are taking a “huge risk” — because the once-secure Stewart brand is in flux and because the tough, hard-edged portrayal of Stewart the businesswoman in “The Apprentice” could damage the softer image of a Stewart who bakes and arranges flowers in daytime TV. “If you’re a brand aligning yourself with the daytime show, the nighttime show could affect you adversely,” Greenfield said. “The hard-edged personality of Martha is going to sell different types of products than the nice Martha who arranges flowers.” Read More
