The product integration quotient will remain high on the fourth season of Bravo's hit competition series Project Runway.
Bravo and The Weinstein Co., which co-produces the show with Miramax Films, have inked officials sponsor deals with Bluefly.com, L'Oréal Paris, Saturn, and Tresemmé, encompassing multiplatform and product-placement exposure. In addition, Brother International and The Hershey Co. are also on board as integrated partners.
Moreover, Bravo will continue its series partnership with Elle magazine, including Nina Garcia as a series judge, and prizing in which the show's winner receives an editorial feature in the magazine.
The fourth season of the series, featuring supermodel Heidi Klum, Garcia and other judges assessing the talents of 15 budding fashion designers, premieres Nov. 14 at 10 p.m. (ET/PT). The third season averaged a 3.1 household rating, according to network officials, topped by 5.4 million viewers for the Oct. 18, 2006 finale, the most on cable that night and in the network’s history.
Elements of the Project Runway sponsorships and integrations include:
*Bluefly.com: The online retailer, in addition to affording the winning designer a place to sell his/her creations, will host the will host the "Accessories Wall" in the designers' workroom and collaborate with www.BravoTV.com on “Get the Look,” where viewers can instantly shop for clothing and accessories that reflect the winning outfit from that week's challenge;
*L’Oreal Paris: The beauty behemoth returns to the show for a fourth year and will once again provide a makeup room in each episode for the models’ reveal. The brand will also sponsor a mobile fan club, through which aficionados access their favorite show personalities, as well as exclusive show-related content via their cell;
*Saturn: The automaker, which will bestow the winning designer with a new 2008 Astra, will also host on-air vignettes featuring past series contestants exploring their favorite inspirational spots in Los Angeles in the aforementioned model and Saturn As and Saturn VUE. The vignettes aim to drive viewers online to their blogs at Bravo's Web site to learn more about how these designers “re-think” design;
*Tresemmé: The professional hair care brand will give the winner $100,000 to help start his or her own collection. Moreover, Tresemmé is increasing its presence online with the introduction of "Fantasy Runway,” where users can select which designers they think will emerge as the season's strongest contenders.
For their parts, candy maker Hershey and Brother International, which offers a full line of home sewing machines, will be featured via product integration.
“Our viewers are so passionate about Project Runway and connected to the content that they want more and we provide that to them – when and where they want it – on-air, online and on-the-go," said Bravo vice president of ad sales Susan Malfa in a statement. “We consider our viewers to be influencers, so when reaching them, they influence others – it's great buzz marketing.”
