Mad Men? Hardly, This is Genius Product Placement

Image courtesy of Brooklyn

Mad Men Season 4's season premiere was the highest of four seasons so far - over 2.92 million viewers, up from the paltry 0.9 million of season one. And that's hardly surprising, considering the critical acclaim, water-cooler buzz and all around coolness of the show.

What's also not surprising is the marketing that has surrounded the show. Not for the show itself, but for the products feature within it. Clothing manufacturer Banana Republic created Mad Men window displays during season 3, and Brooks Brothers produced a limited-edition suit based on the classic Don Draper model. The price, a cool $1000.

In season 4, it was nail polish that took center stage. Nailtini created a custom line of nail polishes based on classic 60's cocktail dresses. But what of the brands featured in the show?

I am reluctant to give anything away that may spoil anything for those who have not yet seen this truly inspired show, so I will dance around the subject lightly with my best tap shoes. Season 4 features some of the biggest household clients of any season yet. We're talking about the jewels in Unilever's crown: Dove, Breyers, Hellman's, Klondike, Suave, and Vaseline. All are featured in a series of six retro commercials during the show.

How much is Unilever paying for this kind of high-level exposure? I can't tell you that, but if it costs a few million bucks to get a few minutes during the Superbowl, having entire storylines featuring your products is not going to be cheap either. What's more, the added credibility and "hipness" of being featured in an award-winning series like Mad Men is something of a coup.

As with every series, the next has to be bigger than the last. With Mad Men, that includes the infamous product placements. For once, it doesn't take you out of the drama, either. The show is about advertising after all, so featuring ads of the period just ads to the level of emotional involvement and belief. And that is why it's "genius."

Look for more product placements, quite blatant ones, in season 5, and look for them showing up even more frequently. The good news is, they won't spoil the storyline, but they will ensure that the show has plenty of money to keep going for years to come.