In the US, Branded Entertainment has become a central component of a brand’s marketing mix. According to a recent survey by the Custom Content Council, 4 out of 5 marketers are increasing their focus on this growing and coveted space.

The reasons for using branded entertainment include driving awareness, engagement, purchase intent and brand loyalty. In the US, there are no overarching rules or restrictions imposed by the TV Networks when it comes to Branded Entertainment, other than the standard restrictions against nudity and cursing. In some instances, TV networks do restrict advertisers from running commercials and/or branded content featuring talent during the commercial time of a show that the same talent stars in. These restrictions are at the discretion of individual networks.

The opportunities for Branded Entertainment increase daily, fueled by the rise of digital innovations and mobile device penetration in the US and across the world. Branded Entertainment is primarily focused in the digital realm in the US. Recently, however, it has extended into new platforms, such as film, live events, gaming and TV, due to it’s strong and validated ROI.

The Hot Flash Roadshow, a live show with performances in New York City and Los Angeles, was also live streamed in Canada and syndicated digitally nationwide. Tickets were distributed by hyper-targeting the Poise consumer where they were already looking for entertainment events and activities.

The rest of the country was invited to watch the show online by hosts Sherri Shepherd and Cloris Leachman themselves, during several national television appearances as well as a variety of social and paid media.

The quantitative outcome of the Hot Flash Roadshow was working with the rest of the campaign to help to inspire one million women to join 'The 2nd Talk.' The qualitative result was that women now felt comfortable speaking about and seeking help for the symptoms…taking a needed conversation from shame to shared.

The show, along with a 360 degree activation campaign, drove women to pledge their commitment to the idea. By World Menopause Day on October 18th, 2012, total earned impressions of the Hot Flash Roadshow were 260 million. The business benefit was targeted consumer engagement and awareness of both the category need states and products.