According to the network's sales director Grant Blackley, Big Brother was made for more creative branding opportunities such as product placement, which he said viewers accepted as part of the format.
The Natural Confectionery Company, which ran a series of ads for its sweets products throughout the nightly show and also negotiated subtle product placement, claimed it achieved 80 per cent growth in each of the two years of its sponsorship. The company's managing director, Ken Klooger, said: "Big Brother has certainly been a significant driver in the growth of our brand's sales."
Freedom Furniture, which supplied all furniture for the Big Brother house, also claimed it achieved high exposure as well as numerous mentions throughout the series. Freedom furniture marketing manager, Mychelle Vanderburg, said Freedom's extension beyond the furniture's presence on the set included billboards, in-store promotions, publicity and interactive promotions.
"From a cost efficiency and branding perspective, it would be one of our most successful sponsorships, she said.
Among others to record significant results from the platform were Energizer Batteries, which claimed an estimated 20 per cent sales growth and film distributor Columbia Tri-Star, which said its involvement translated into "huge results at the box office".
Ten's Blackley said the reality platform allowed networks to meet the growing expectations of advertisers for a more integrated and creative approach to television advertising.
