Every brand (and their agency) gets excited when they get that phone call to become a star on that next great TV show or film. Unfortunately, time is of the essence, and if you don’t have a plan in place to seize that golden opportunity, you will be left in the dust.

While concerns will be valid as to whether or not the production will be a good fit, taking too much time to consider after the fact may cost you – if your response is not immediate, it is likely the production will be calling your competitors, seeking the next yes answer before you have made up your mind.

You need to determine what type of property would be a good fit before you can make that decision. There are certain questions to ask yourself before you receive that call out of the blue, so you are ready with a quick yes or no response:

1. How Your Brand Will Be Seen: How do you want the placement to paint the picture of your brand? Is there specific usage that would be ideal? What do you want to make sure isn’t inferred about your brand?

2. The Genre Of The Production: Is there a certain genre of a production that is more/less appealing? Horror or adult comedies may have scenes that are more risqué or violent, does this fit your brand’s personality?

3. The Demographic Reach: What type of demographics do you want to reach? The productions demographic should align with yours – or provide you access into a segmented demo you are hoping to enter. 
It is important to note that your first thoughts on whether a project is a good fit or not may not necessarily be accurate.

For example, many brands shy away from the horror genre in general, immediately determining that they do not want their brand to be associated with the types of emotions the film or show may arise out of its viewers. However studies have shown that horror films actually tend to be the most rewarding investments, as consumers are more likely to develop an attachment to/remember brands when they are scared.

Not only do you need to really identify your own core marketing target, but you need to understand who the viewer will be of the productions that call, as well as the pros and cons of working with different types of genres, and put in safeguards to protect your brand identity.

Only once you have all of that information defined clearly in your mind can you respond promptly and get your brand in the spotlight before your competitors get that call.