Ilene Chaiken,
writer and creator of the Showtime series The L Word,
has been given complete control over "brand
integration" for the show's last season, which
starts this fall, Advertising Age reports.
Showtime programs do not take commercial breaks,
but on this season of The L Word, gay-friendly companies -- or those hoping to
attract more gay and lesbian consumers -- will have the
opportunity for their brands to be integrated into story
lines as a form of advertising.
By pairing with
The L Word, many advertisers will have the opportunity to
reach a desirable demographic group -- the roughly
312,000 viewers of the popular series are generally
18-49 years old, affluent, and female. The "integration
package" being offered to companies hoping to
capitalize on this opportunity is reported to be worth
$300,000, according to a source for Advertising Age.
Chaiken notes
that the integration being offered is "a rare, perfect
opportunity for showcasing brands," especially to women,
because The L Word viewers are "affluent, avid
consumers plugged into pop culture."
The popular
travel site Orbitz, which is known for being gay-friendly,
told Advertising Age that its inclusion in the
fifth season of the show boosted traffic to its lesbian
travel microsite by 25%. (The Advocate)
