Telus begins product integration campaign with Discovery Channel
By Adnews Staff
Toronto-based Discovery Channel has signed telecommunications company Telus to a promotional agreement for its new reality series Cash Cab. The agreement includes on-air billboards and commercials, as well as product placement in the program. In each episode, the host of the program will use a Telus smartphone with GPS navigation as part of the narrative. Telus will also sponsor the CashCabOnline.ca website. Its brand will be integrated into an online game incorporating video clips from the show. "Cash Cab is an ideal series for this kind of sophisticated product integration," said Sally Basmajian, vice-president of sales and marketing at Discovery Channel. "We strive to create opportunities for clients to incorporate their products into our programming in ways that contribute to the story arc and that meet their needs while appealing to our viewers. In this case I think that we have been very successful." Discovery Channel is currently conducting a four-week marketing campaign in support of the show. It includes outdoor, theatre, television and online advertising, as well as wrapped taxi ads. The campaign was developed by the CTV Creative Agency.