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CBS' Survivor: The Australian Outback has given rise to more than just non-scripted programming--it's making product integration an advertising reality as well.

Following placement campaigns on Survivor by the likes of Reebok, Target and Pepsi, more non-scripted series in development are offering similar deals. Among them: ABC'S The Runner, Fox's Murder in Smalltown X, NBC's Lost, and USA's Combat Mission.

Although advertisers are still determining how to measure product integration, most agree the kind of placement Survivor offers is valuable. "When the content of a show is impacted by a product, that's great advertising," said Jeff Grant, president of programming for Mediavest.

In a Survivor episode last month, host Jeff Probst offered contestants a crate of sundries, courtesy of Target, whose logo appeared on its exterior. In the next episode, Probst offered famished contestants Mountain Dew and Doritos. Such deals have been an integral part of the series from the beginning, garnering CBS accolades for its promo savvy (see special Reggie Awards section, after page 22).

Future episodes will highlight Anheuser-Busch, General Motors and Visa, with the clients largely arranging for the type of exposure they receive. Reebok chose to have its sportswear worn by Survivor players rather than as a prize. "We're not into the hard sell," said Brett Itskowitch, vp-group director for Mediacom, who handled Reebok's deal.

No matter what form product integration takes, Joe Abruzzese, president of CBS network sales, stressed CBS does not charge advertisers for it. "This is a reward for the huge commitment they've made to the program," he said, noting the show's nine sponsors paid roughly $12 million each.

But the trend of advertisers becoming part of the action, whether paid for or not, is extending to other CBS shows. The pilot episode for the network's Ellen DeGeneres series, Ellen Again, now in production in Los Angeles, prominently features GM's Cadillac and its OnStar navigation system, with the title character driving a Caddy SUV and having repeated humorous exchanges with OnStar operators.

George Schweitzer, CBS evp-marketing and communications, said the storyline did not result from any talks with GM. "It's in the script and very funny but it was not a negotiated product placement deal," he said. According to CBS production execs, the idea came from the show's writers.

If product integration succeeds on upcoming non-scripted series, then most advertisers say CBS' perk-type may end. "It's conceivable there could be discussions regarding compensation for in-program integration," said Guy McCarter, director of entertainment at OMD/USA, which oversaw Visa and Pepsi Survivor deals.

But the question of who receives compensation may become a point of contention. "We get approached on a daily basis with [placement] opportunities from talent agencies, producers and studios," said Laura Caraccioli, vp/director at Starcom Entertainment. "If they come to me first, I don't have to have a media commitment to get this done. So, at some point, there will be a backlash from the networks."

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COPYRIGHT 2001 Gale Group

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