What Happened
NBC’s longstanding, late-night mainstay Saturday Night Live (SNL) is reportedly looking to cut down the ads it carries by about 30%. In a move to please viewers and offer them more content, the show plans to remove two commercial breaks per episode. Instead, NBC will offer brand advertisers an opportunity to partner with SNL to create original branded content. There are no further details on how the branded content will be produced or distributed, but NBC does state such brand partnerships will be limited to six spots per year.
What Brands Need To Do
This is not the first time NBC has tried to improve the viewing experience by trading commercials for branded content. Earlier this year, the broadcaster partnered with American Express on Leap Day for an initiative that replaced some primetime ads with additional content sponsored by AmEx. Other TV media owners such as Viacom and Turner have also promised to cut down the number of commercials to appeal to ad-shunning consumers.
As more and more consumers opt for the ad-free experiences enabled by subscription-based streaming services and ad blockers, it is imperative that brands and media owners work together to engage audiences in new ways, such as sponsored content and native ads. For more information on how brands should leverage interesting branded content to earn consumer eyeballs, check out the Ad Avoidance section of our Outlook 2016.
Source: AdAge
