I watched American Idol and America’s Got Talent for this practicum. America’s Got Talent featured Dunkin’ Doughnuts and a Wyndham segment. Coca-Cola was American Idol’s principal sponsor. Both shows featured a component for food and beverages. This is an interesting fact. Wyndham Hotel is, naturally, a chain of hotels. These shows are strategically chosen by companies based on their demographics and nature to promote their products.
Dunkin’ Donuts was the first business to open. Coca-Cola is next. They were presented in cups or tumblers near the judges, which is a good example of their context. Dunkin’ donuts was also featured on AGT with segments like “Dunkin’ save” and “Dunkin’ lounge” which helped promote their brand. (Fremantle Media, 2016). The messages these brands sent were clear: they are popular and energizing, and that everyone can use them. Coca-Cola has a campaign that spans several shows. Because of its ubiquitous appearances, viewers feel excluded. Dunkin’ Donuts, a chain of shops that sell breakfast food such as coffee and donuts, is owned by Coca-Cola. The integration of these products in competition shows that they can help other competitors be better prepared by their consumption.
Wyndham Reward, Wyndham Hotel Group’s award-winning hotel loyalty programme, is next. A segment called “You’ve Got This” airs on AGT and recaps the performances of the season’s winners (Broadway World 2015). Sponsorship makes sense since reality competitions are held in multiple cities. This means that a lot of traveling takes place during the show’s duration. This endorsement tells people that Wyndham hotels are the best choice for travelling. Particularly, the rewards feature makes people more likely to believe the program’s prestige and hard earned status. This appeals more to young adults to middle-aged viewers, between the ages of eighteen and forty nine, as they travel more and are a larger portion of the viewership (Hipmunk 2016, TV by the Numbers (2015)). Wyndham Hotels’ success in this area is due to its ability to market a hotel chain among the most discerning travelers.
After considering all aspects, companies choose which shows they will sponsor based upon the content and dependent variables, such as the viewer demographics. American Idol is more popular among middle-aged and younger audiences. Wyndham Hotel, Dunkin’ Donuts, Coca-Cola and Wyndham Hotels made their products relatable, appealing, and prominent.
