Normally, I wouldn’t say that the sponsor for a TV show is important news, however if The X Factor turns out to be as much like American Idol as it sounds so far, we should probably be prepared to be presented with as many product placements and sponsored episode segments as possible.
It was announced early this year that Pepsi is the official sponsor for the upcoming talent competition. Today, Fox, along with Syco Television and FremantleMedia North, announced that Chevrolet will be the official automotive sponsor for the series.
Chevrolet’s wide-ranging sponsorship of THE X FACTOR includes automotive exclusivity in multiple episodes throughout the season that will feature in-show integrations, season-long organic product placement and an off-air marketing partnership with digital extensions that will include www.fox.com/thexfactor and social media. Chevrolet will be the official automotive sponsor of THE X FACTOR on-air, as well as the exclusive automotive sponsor off-air and online.
From the sound of it, Chevy will be working its way into the series in a similar way to how Ford does during Idol results episodes, which often include a contestant-starred music video centered around a Ford vehicle.
I’m starting to envision The X Factor as what American Idol might be like in some alternate universe. Idol has Ford and Coca Cola, The X Factor has Chevrolet and Pepsi, in addition to former Idol judges Simon and Paula.
