In Italy for some reasons people have not talked about it yet, but during these days the shooting of a new reality quite curious will begin, “Basketball Wives” (on line on VH1 since March the 15^th). Realised and produced by Shaunie O’Neal (Shaquille’s wife) before their separation, she has never thought to cancel her Show because such an unpleasant event in her private life, on the contrary the most ex-famous NBA wife has just changed a few details. Thus, instead of following the troubled life of the Basketball Wives, you could follow the daylife of fiancèes and ex-wives. In the cast there are Jennifer Williams (Eric Williams’ wife), Evelyn Lozada (ex-fiancèe of Antoine Walker), Mesha O’Neal (Jermaine O’Neal’s wife), Royce Reed, Faith Rain and Shaunie O’Neal. They drive luxurious cars, live in the most prestigious houses, wear the most expensive clothes, they represent the American dream. They are always looking for news, creativity, trends and anything else to show for first just to be recognised as trendsetters…. and lots of Italian Companies should profit of this incredible occasion with product placement actions.

 For years the new Realities have changed format and public. In Europe it is true that a few quite old titles still exist but the road towards the new generation of Shows has been opened somewhere else. Donald Trump, for example, after the great success (even in Europe) of “The apprentice” is realising a new project that will begin its shooting by the end of the month. The title is “ DONALD J. TRUMP’S FABULOUS WORLD OF GOLF” and it is about an exclusive golf tournament where Hollywood actors, singers and musicians, politicians, top managers and businessmen, several VIPs are taking part. With the typical American mentality, these characters should try to win and at the same time do two other things: Business & Charity. Business: it is quite known that on a golf field it is possible to make more affairs than during a board of directors.You can swear that Donald Trump will try his best to promote partnerships between movie producers and musicians for example, or between athletes and sponsors and so on, thus stimolating a sort of “brain storming” between one putt and the other (everything on line and under the eyes of millions of people). Then there is the other aspect, socially worthier and technically more innovative, charity. The cachet of the players and the final prize is fact will be given on charity. This is not the “Intelligent” TV but by sure the “interesting” one. And interesting it could be for that fashion Italian Company that will wear the coolest VIPs of the planet with its clothes, jewels or accessories. From now on this can be possible.

 There is one way really sure to test product placement and its efficacy: the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl, at the beginning of February, represents one of the most followed programmes not only in the USA but in all the world. A great occasion for lots of Celebrities (actors, musicians, trendsetters, Vips, journalists and buyers) to exploit this catwalk to consolidate their image in a frame that talks more about costumes and fashion than sports.

However all these ShowBiz Stars use to relax, before their public apperance, in a lounge room full of interesting objects, accessories, personal gifts, electronic gadgets, clothing, jewels, etc. All these products have to be worn during the SuperBowl, the TV reportages (E!, News Live, Extra Entertainment Tonight, Fox, etc.) and the press reports (US Weekly, Life& Style, Daily Variety, Enterteinment Weekly, LA Confidential, Hollywood Reporter etc). Both when the VIPs wear these obejcts only for fitting or really in public, it is allowed to take pictures and use them for ads or marketing strategies. It is really a unique occasion for all those brands that want to propose or re-propose themselves on the USA market. The lounge room tradition is really an old one and well appreciated by the Stars. In the last edition of the SuperBowl, there were important Vips such as Winona Rider, Samuel Jackson, Paris Hilton, Eva Longoria, Paula Abdul, Debra Messing, Jason Lee, Patrick Dempsey, Kate Walsh, Teri Hatcher and more.

 Few good ideas have begun to arrive about the prize “7 productions for 7 products” we talked about a month ago. In its official version it will be almost sure that its name will be “7 plot for 7 brands”. We have to say that there will not be just one winner as prizes and medals are not its aim.Its aim in fact is to point out good ideas to propose to Companies interested in planning new product placements. The web serial budgets are so low that the brands that invest become microproducers and can manage their product/webserial even following their own strategies (through their own web company, on facebook page, youtube or metcafe, DVD mobile or selling the format to some digital stations).

And within this scenery the project “Borderman” is really a great interpretation. First of all, it is not a traditional web serial, it is not just the translation of a sit-com on the web but something new called “multiformat” as it is divided into 5 sections, one after the other, about the same subject. Thanks to this, Borderman is a perfect project for product placement, keeping its plot characteristics as well as awakening the public interest. The Companies more interested in this project should be those about sports clothing and accessories, the more casual brands, and those that get around the “Indi” music. Considering its meagre investment and its planning ductility, it is a chance really full of potentialities.

 In “Sex and the City 2”, the new love of Samantha is Rikard, by Max Ryan, a charming 40 year-old actor that has already performed quite twenty movies (The League of Extraordinary gentlemen, Kiss of the Dragon, Death Race etc.), and in this period he is working on very important projects. He has just finished to perform “Dark Moon Rising”, “Fours Years Running”, “Blackline: The Beirut Contract” (all already in post-production) , while he is going to work in such execellent productions such as “Wall Street”, “The Rogue” and Double Fault”. He is engaged until 2012 under the lights of all the world, both for for the movies, on the set, on the red carpet, in a few talk-shows, in press conferences and vernissages to promote his work and productions. All this is quite interesting as the actor is available to valuate any proposal of Branding deal, product placement and celebrity seeding. Italian fashion and accessories Companies for Man should really consider this chance to have such a professional star, so charming and talented, for the next three years.

The Product Placement is an instrument that helps to better profile the products, proposes more quickly and wholly a brand or a mood and is very helpful for the following activities of PR and Press office. If we want to use less words we could say that Product Placement is a marketing branch. Another consideration follows this one immediately, that until nowadays has never been so clear and acceptable: “ Product placement is an activity that has to be planned and integrated with marketing”. Even in Italy we can perceive some signals of quality improvement in the placement operations. Baci&Abbracci for example has appeared in the last month in the Kolossal “2012” and in the Italian production “Meno male che ci sei” where the main character Luisa, by Claudia Gerini, has worn its clothes. This is a chance not so casual and by sure it puts the brand from Milan among the most active of this sector. For all the Companies and brands that are thinking about product placement, this is one of the best period to start talking with the placement agencies. The end of the year in fact is time for balance as well as future expectations and it is not difficult to believe that the first arriving will get the best profits.