In many ways PBS is its own worse enemy as it contiually rejects many types of advertising in the name of some mythical high ground. The result has been that very few companies want to work with them to promote their products on the public network.
One current example is the success that "Curious George" has been enjoying, but still have most of the sponsorship spots sitting vacant.
The popular children's show had premiered with a strong 5.7 rating for children between the ages of 5-7, and still continues to draw more than 9 million viewers throughout a week. They even beat competitors like Disney (DIS), Cartoon Network and Nickelodeon in their time slot.
The problem is that they refuse to allow companies to market the way they know is best. The result is that most pass up on PBS as a legitimate choice to promote their products.
Concerning the marketing to children, Marcia Hertz, managing director-marketing and client services, national sponsorship, for the SGPTV, said, "Certainly the kids' space is changing. A lot of companies have been traditional advertisers on commercial television and sponsors on public television. PBS, even though it doesn't sell traditional advertising, feels repercussions just as other networks do."
Again, the problem isn't simply the children's space changing, but PBS itself. It refuses to allow advertising like simple product placement within a show, which doesn't make any sense at all. It's no different than a child going to a friends house and seeing certain brands in the refrigerator or cupboards. For some reason PBS thinks this is some sort of high road they're taking. For advertisers it's a low road because it offers them fewer options to promote with, and they respond accordingly.
Hertz says that she would like to see more of the food and automotive categories get involved. But again, the problem is similar to YouTube as this time. They keep harping on being so user-friendly, and yet aren't able to come up with an ad model that will work for marketing companies.
To me they're either going to have to keep on going like they are, in spite of the Hertz and her sponsorship group, or begin offering companies the opportunity to present their products through varous means. If they don't, it won't matter how many eyeballs watch a show, if they can't be effectively marketed to.
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