The Entertainment Resources & Marketing Association maintains a searchable database of agencies broken down by specialty at Erma.org. "Seek out agencies who've been around and established themselves in traditional product placement and major branded efforts," advises Frank Zazza, the father of product placement. Don't be afraid to negotiate. Your costs can go as low as $1,000 a placement or $5,000 for three placements.
If you have a specialized product that is likely to be needed by a certain kind of show, you'll be welcome. That doesn't mean mundane widget companies should despair. If you have good retail distribution, for example, you can use that as leverage, bartering point-of-purchase exposure -- "As Seen on the Discovery Channel" -- for airtime.
Emphasizing a cool feature that a writer might be able to work into a script can bolster your efforts.
When the call comes, you need to "bust your hump to make sure product is there when the camera starts rolling," says Zazza. Working with an agency helps, because producers know that agencies have obtained the necessary permissions to clear products for immediate on-set needs.
It's great to be on one of the major networks, but with a thousand channels, there are a thousand opportunities for exposure. Is your product right for the Golf Channel? The Food Network? HGTV?
