NewFronts: Vizio Launches Branded Content Studio and Sponsored Series
Viewing data used to decide which shows to develop
Vizio said it has launched a branded content studio, a new unit that will work with marketers to create programming using data to determine what viewers want.
The smart TV-set maker made the announcement ahead of its NewFront presentation in New York.
“VBCS is the natural evolution for our team to offer advertisers an opportunity to authentically incorporate the voice and value of their brand into stories, characters, and moments that resonate with Vizio viewers,” Vizio VP of branded content and sponsorships Steve DeMain said. “With a data-informed understanding of what our viewers are interested in, VBCS is uniquely positioned to offer a solution that few others can: A custom, exclusive branded content series that brings brands into the story and entertainment that consumers want to watch.”
The Vizio Branded Content Studio already has four new series in the works.
Clean Break: Michelle Hobgood, known as the Tiny Trainer, provides tips and tricks to get organized. Stemming from the popular TikTok trend, her organizing hacks are now presented on the TV screen.
Island Eats: Travel enthusiasts and unique food lovers are taken on a journey to the most exclusive, hard-to-get-to places in the Caribbean.
City Limits: This show looks at places and things to do just outside the city limits of popular towns.
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Vizio first tested the branded content model with the premiere of 3 Pointers, a short form series featuring Man vs. Food host Casey Webb and sponsored by BetMGM. Each episode features sports-themed recipes, beverages, and entertainment hacks designed to elevate the game-day viewing experience, with brand messaging from BetMGM woven throughout each episode.
Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.