| 'Lost' takes product tie-in to new level
ABC series Lost is planning a storyline about a fictitious manuscript found on the island by its luckless castaways. In a concept that takes product tie-ins to a new level, the book will then appear at a store near you.
The manuscript to turn up on the TV series, titled Bad Twin, is being written now by an unnamed mystery writer. It will be released next spring by Hyperion Books.
http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/pix/lillyevangeline_cp_6982033.jpg
Evangeline Lilly of 'Lost' at the Golden Globe Awards earlier this year.
Bad Twin will be the story of a private eye seeking out the evil twin of a wealthy heir.
In the Lost series, the book will be the work of an author named Gary Troup, who has died in the plane crash that marooned the group on the mysterious island.
In turning an imaginary product into a real one, ABC and Hyperion are continuing the trend to cross-promotion that has brought product placement into numerous TV series.
Nissan cars appear this season on Desperate Housewives and Procter & Gamble has paid to have its products turn up on Martha Stewart's TV show, Martha.
Advertisers have developed this tactic because so many viewers are walking out of the room during the ads, or taping their program so they can fast-forward over the ads.
Lost, a hit for ABC, draws 20 million viewers a week. It stars Matthew Fox, Naveen Andrews and Evangeline Lilly.
Hyperion hopes the book will automatically appeal to the show's large and loyal following.
"Fans of the show are obsessive. We think a lot of them will be buying the book just to look for clues" to the series, Hyperion president Bob Miller told Variety.
- CBC | |
