Wong Kar-wai's "Flower", advertising placement on the ceiling

The TV series "Fanhua" has ended. There are some advertising implants in TV series. Let's take a look at the beautiful advertisements in the TV series.

The hit drama "Fang Hua" at the beginning of the year came to an end with great fanfare.

The flourishing old Shanghai, the ever-changing wave of reform, the bustling city life, the complex and subtle relationships between people... every detail of the shot is portrayed vividly.

The annoying TV commercials appear particularly harmonious under Wang's lens aesthetics. Some of them highlight the background of the times, while others promote the development of the plot. Each placement is quite smooth and makes people feel at ease.

Let’s talk about the high-level advertising placement in “Fanghua”:

1. Integrate into the background of the times and raise the brand tone

The story of "Fang Hua" is set in Shanghai in the 1990s, an era of pursuing fashion and also the peak period when foreign brands flocked to China.

A large number of international brands have flooded into the Chinese market and become all the rage as "high-end goods", and the emergence of Estee Lauder is a natural consequence.

The brand's golden tone is highly similar to the black and gold tones in the drama, so when Estee Lauder appears in the windows of high-end shopping malls, it not only does not feel out of place, but it also sets off the decadence and decadence of Shanghai in the 1990s, which is a plus.

For the brand, this is also a way to convey an important message to Chinese consumers that Estee Lauder is a leader in high-end beauty products.

In addition to integrating into the scenes, Estee Lauder also appeared many times in the dialogues between characters in the play, restoring the brand's former glorious days.

Ling Hong, the owner of a high-end boutique, took advantage of the stock surge to sell "high-end cosmetics" Estee Lauder to the rich ladies and made a fortune. Ling Zi, the owner of Night Tokyo, also stole a "Platinum Cream", the originator of the rich lady's cream, from her.

Minmin, the senior supervisor at Zhizhen Garden, showed off her newly bought Estee Lauder lipstick to her colleagues.

Night Tokyo reopened, all staff dressed up for the event, Linghong solemnly put on Estee Lauder lipstick. As the uncle in the play said, doing business requires "style, gimmick, and signs", and lipstick is the most important "style" for women.

From the platinum face cream of Shanghai ladies to the lipstick of young girls, it can be seen that Estee Lauder was the sought-after brand by all the sophisticated women at the time, and she stole the limelight in the drama.

After the TV series ended, Estee Lauder struck while the iron was hot and quickly announced that Ma Yili, who played Lingzi, would be the brand's skincare ambassador. This not only continued the discussion of "Flowers", but also helped to turn the boss lady Lingzi's smart and capable beauty into a new brand asset.

By cleverly integrating into the background of the times, recreating the brand's highlight moments, and with the strong support of the protagonist image, a "stylish" Estee Lauder brand image also comes to life on paper.

2. The reappearance of old domestic products stimulates nostalgia

As one of the earliest cities in China to open up to the outside world, Shanghai has always been at the forefront of domestic fashion trends. In the childhood memories of those born in the 1980s and 1990s, there are also many famous brands made in Shanghai.

Therefore, when some old domestic brands appear in the drama, it not only restores the social culture of the year well, but also stimulates collective nostalgia.

At daybreak, the Guangming milk truck shuttles through the alleys, delivering fresh milk to the Guangming milk boxes hanging on the doorsteps of every household. This is the most familiar scene for generations of Shanghai people.

Also, the grocery store owner Jinxiu drank Guangming glass bottle milk and listened to gossip, Miss Wang ate Guangming salt water popsicles to "cool down", and Director Fan ate Guangming milk bricks and watched Xiao Wang from Hongkou leave...

Outside the play, Bright Dairy also launched a wave of advertisements for Bus No. 13, inviting everyone to check in on "Boss Bao's Pure Love Bus No. 13", which brought back many Shanghai residents' childhood memories.

There is also the "Western fast food" KFC, which is now a necessary choice for "convenience", but it was a very "trendy" thing in the 80s and 90s.

Zheng Kai, who plays Mr. Wei in the play, is not only an early spokesperson for KFC, but also becomes the brand's wild spokesperson in the play.

After Miss Wang was transferred to the factory, he brought KFC to visit the warehouse workers to show his support. When Lingzi came to Mingzhu Company with gifts to congratulate her, he also ran to buy coffee and KFC as soon as possible.

However, this wave of brand placement was purely for the needs of the plot, and the KFC brand won directly.

The famous brand "Macro" from the 1990s appeared repeatedly in the drama, and even an advertisement shot by Liza Wang at that time was inserted. After watching it, many netizens exclaimed that it matched their childhood memories.

After Ye Dongjing reopened, the first problem it encountered was "the water heater did not produce hot water". After Mr. Qiang found out, he sent Lingzi a Macro water heater and dishwasher the next day. He also used the chef's words to reflect the brand's advantages, "Things with technical patents are good", "The kitchen was upgraded in one step, Mr. Qiang is so thoughtful".

This wave of life-like scene implantation promoted the development of the plot and also highly restored the background of the times. In 1988, the domestic home appliance market was in its infancy. Macro not only launched the first gas water heater with flameout protection, but also left behind the classic slogan "Macro, Happy Home".

However, not all Chinese brands can be so smoothly implanted. The influx of foreign brands in the 1980s and 1990s also had a certain impact on Chinese brands at the time, and Pechoin was one of them.

Another clever way of handling the issue was used in the drama, where Pechoin was presented in the form of "patch advertising + chasing drama", which neither caused any trouble to users while providing strong exposure.

Respecting the historical background of the times and making the product a supporting role in driving the plot, this is probably the important reason why "Fanhua" is full of advertisements but no one is disgusted.

3. Product storytelling to enhance brand connotation

In addition to the advertising placements that fit the context of the times, the drama also features many "tailor-made" product stories that are thought-provoking.

On the eve of New Year's Eve, Mr. Bao gave Miss Wang a pair of Bausch + Lomb contact lenses. Miss Wang, wearing the contact lenses, stood on the observation deck of the Peace Hotel and looked into the distance, and couldn't help but sigh: "It's so clear."

At the same time, the classic line "Only by seeing the future can there be a future" is spoken by Bao Zong, which not only restores the slogan of Bausch and Lomb contact lenses in the early 1990s, but also serves as a metaphor for the fate of the characters to come.

After wearing contact lenses, Xiao Wang became Miss Wang. Mr. Bao and Miss Wang also formally formed a revolutionary friendship. Both parties agreed that in four years, Miss Wang would become Section Chief Wang and Abao would become Mr. Bao.

"Pepsi-Cola", which was praised this time, also deepened its brand value by integrating fancy plots.

The first one is the scene where Mr. Bao recalls the creation of Night Tokyo with Lingzi. After discussing the cooperation, they raise their glasses to clink Pepsi. This shows that Pepsi has always been integrated into the lives of users as a "companion", witnessing the stories of strugglers in every era.

The second part is what Jingxiu, the "mysterious" owner of the Huanghe Road store, said to Miss Wang.

"Yellow River Road is like a soda bottle. If you don't open it, it won't make any noise. But as long as you pick it up and pry it gently, it will immediately burst out. The bottle is opened and can't be closed anymore."

This plot design is very Wong Kar-wai. The "expired canned pineapple" in "Chungking Express" is a metaphor for He Zhiwu's reluctance to give up his feelings. The "bubbling cola soda" here refers to the undercurrent of emotions that Miss Wang felt when she heard about Mr. Bao's scandal.

In addition, the Cadillac brand runs through the entire drama and is seamlessly integrated into the plot, making it difficult to tell that it is an advertisement.

On the one hand, with the help of multiple scenes and multiple character lines, Cadillac is positively portrayed as a "symbol of noble status" and "the face of doing business."

At the opening ceremony of Mingzhu Company, Xiao Ningbo helped Bao deliver a car and brought a message, "Ms. Wang is in big business, so you need to drive a good car."

Miss Wang couldn't buy a plane ticket to Shenzhen, so she asked the driver to drive directly to Shenzhen. The driver complained, "I'm driving an old Tank, not a Cadillac."

Later, Miss Wang really drove the Cadillac to Shenzhen. When Mr. Fan took Miss Wang to the factory, he was cautious and said, "We are going to ask for help, and we should act a little pitiful when asking for help. Don't drive, call a taxi."

On the other hand, Cadillac is used as a concrete carrier to reflect the feelings and commitment between Mr. Bao and Ms. Wang.

In the play, Bao Zong went to Zhuji to discuss cooperation with Mr. Ma, who was a high-end imitation of the Sanyang brand. Miss Wang thought he was in danger and drove there alone. The damaged "Cadillac" was the testimony of Baozhu's CP relationship. They were not just business partners, but also a relationship of life and death.

When Miss Wang started her own business, Mr. Bao gave her a real Cadillac, which was not only to show his support, but also to convey that even if we are no longer fighting side by side, I will still protect you silently. Later, in the Walmart jeans order incident, Mr. Bao did help Miss Wang secretly as a guardian.

The tense expression of the plot gives the brand profound cultural connotations. Even if the clips are edited separately, it is still an advertisement that can withstand careful scrutiny.

In addition, it can further strengthen the connection between the product and this classic period drama, making it a highlight segment that the audience can watch again and again.

4. Advertising theater, unlock the hidden plot

The most talked-about point about "Fang Hua" is that the supporting characters are no longer tools to set off the protagonists, but another perspective for watching the drama.

Jingxiu, the owner of the Huanghe Road tavern, is such a character. He is the most informed intelligence officer on Huanghe Road and also the audience's substitute, judging the big and small things on Huanghe Road.

This also led to a lot of "easter egg plot" advertising placements, which were so smooth that people thought they were watching the main film.

Li Li was besieged by the boss lady of Huanghe Road, and diners could not try the new dishes of Zhizhen Garden. The "powerful" Jingxiu gave another solution: when you don't know what to eat, you can go to Meituan Group Buying to see.

The sales of Sanyang brand exceeded 10 million, and the main characters were in the spotlight. The newsstand boy inquired about the relationship between Mr. Tanbao and Miss Wang. Jingxiu, who was "clear-headed", promptly maintained the relationship between the main characters and took the opportunity to recommend a wave of pork ribs and rice cakes.‍

‍It is easy for a modern brand to blend into this period drama, but it is easy to distract people from the drama. Meituan Waimai’s approach is to weaken the brand’s presence and prioritize user experience.

By unlocking Easter egg plots, the show brings a sense of surprise to the audience, and also provides a new idea for advertising placement: advertising should often be used, but more importantly, it should be done with heart.

V. Conclusion

After the finale, the official Weibo account of "Fanhua" also posted four thank-you advertisements in a row, and attached a list of 40 advertisers.

This amount of advertising placement can easily affect the audience's liking for the work. The reason why "Fang Hua" is regarded as the "ceiling of advertising placement" is more because it adopts the method of "drama picking brands".

Either it obeys the background of the times and can mobilize collective nostalgia, or it becomes a key prop to promote the development of the plot.

Finally, what is the most impressive "Fanhua" advertisement this time? Feel free to share in the comments section.

Author: Aye WeChat public account: Shock Copywriter