‘House of Cards’ littered with product placements
You binge-watched “House of Cards.” Now how many brands can you remember?
The 13-episode third season is the heaviest yet for products on screen, according to several experts in the product-placement field.
When disabled White House aide Doug Stamper opens his newly stocked fridge in the first episode, a host of brands are visible, from Bonne Maman jelly to Fiji Water and Coca-Cola.
Double Stuffed Oreos were on Stamper’s counter. His emergency FLOTUS phone? Thanks, Microsoft.
Other brands showing up include Dell, Nike, Canon, Samsung and Apple.
While no one’s ’fessing up to inking paid deals, brand integration experts say there is no doubt that if you’re category-exclusive, you paid to be involved.
Beer brand InBev is said to be the only beer showing up on screen, though the company denied there’s payment involved when asked by Advertising Age. Its products Shock Top, Budweiser and Stella Artois appear throughout the show.
Such deals are a way to keep tabs on the $3 million-per-episode budget incurred by Media Rights Capital, the production company. In turn, Netflix, by agreeing to allow MRC to accept brands to appear, may be licensing the show on a slightly less expensive basis.
Experts suggest the cost of getting on a Netflix show can be anywhere from $50,000 for a five-second appearance on screen to upwards of $200,000 if your brand becomes part of a scene, like some of Sony’s gaming devices.
Netflix may also have been doing digital cross-promotion deals with brands, experts say.
“It’s such a successful series and brands that consumers are completely ignoring advertising. You have to find shows that people are leaning into,” said Jarrod Moses, CEO and president at United Entertainment Group.
“It’s a business model,” added Patricia Ganguzza of New York City-based placement firm Aim Productions. “If you’re a producer and you need dollars and if you have something legitimate to offer, there are brands that are willing to talk to you.”