Brands such as Mitre 10, The Good Guys, Suzuki and iSelect were the real winners of The Block: Fans v Faves

FORGET Steve and Chantelle, the real winners were the advertisers who sucked us into watching months of product placement. So how much did they pay?

THE Block is over for another series and already the social media punters are furiously debating whether the most deserving couple won.

The winners of The Block: Fans vs. Faves, Steve and Chantelle, who scooped more than $700,000 in prize money from the sale of their warehouse conversion in Albert Park, must be feeling pretty chuffed right about now.

But the real winners were Channel Nine and The Block’s brand sponsors who have been raking it in with product placement deals or, in industry parlance, branded integration.

The production may have paid out more than $2.4 million in prize money to the four couples (all of which are untaxed by the way), but Nine raked in much more money in lucrative sponsorship deals.

Two industry sources said top-tier sponsors would have shelled out more than $3 million each for their associations with the hot ratings property.

Underdogs Steve O'Donnell and Chantelle Ford won The Block: Fans v Faves, pocketing $726,000 in prize money.

For nearly three months, across more than 60 episodes, a significant portion of the time each broadcast is dedicated to spruiking the brands which have showered money at Nine. Much of it is ridiculously obvious while some of it is more covert.

From lingering shots of NAB’s banking app to name checks of The Good Guys, or from Suzuki cars up for grabs to the appearance of the iSelect guy, there was never any shortage of reminders of how The Block is a sponsorship megastar.

While it’s paying dividends for the advertisers, lots of viewers are less than happy with what they see as an intrusion on their program.

With updates, ads, recaps and product placement I reckon there is 10 mins programme in #TheBlock #frustrated

— Robert Byrne (@robertbyrneoz) April 2, 2014

#theblock must have got a deal on filler from Mitre 10, because that is all the last week has been #gettotheauction

— Ben Shute (@Ben_Shute) April 7, 2014

There's so much product placement in #TheBlock it's crazy - lucky I have a Telstra T Box to scroll through while enjoying a refreshing coke!

— Speedy (@929speedy) March 26, 2014

Sponsorship integration expert Michelle Kulbicki from branded entertainment firm Ensemble told news.com.au: “The Block has the ability to integrate a lot of product, that’s what makes it appealing. Every TV property is different and The Block is a great example, they’re at the forefront for brands and it’s a very commercially friendly property. There are other shows that don’t allow as much integration.”

Despite viewer perceptions there is more branded integration than ever before, Ms Kulbicki argued there’s actually less. She said the networks have taken feedback from audiences and have evolved how brands are featured in the program.

Brad and Dale’s kitchen as seen on The Good Guy’s website. The kitchen was assembled with products available from the retailer.

She said there’s a lot less ‘badging’ of logos or extended shots, and the focus of branded integration is about relevance. According to Ms Kulbicki, producers are now acting almost like viewers’ advocates, pushing back on unrealistic expectations from advertisers.

Audiences have gotten savvier with product placement, calling out blatant abuses of their attention.

Additionally, because of second-screen distractions during commercial breaks as well as the ability to fast-forward on digital recorders, advertisers have taken full advantage of talking to the audience during the show. Sponsors then reinforce their in-program messages with ad spots during the breaks.

Suzuki used The Block as part of its launch strategy for its S Cross model.

Which is why relevance is so important. If an advertiser can make its product relevant to the narrative, it’s much more likely to achieve cut-through. Top sponsors such as Mitre 10 and The Good Guys, as well as others including Beacon Lighting, Reece Bathrooms and Beaumont Tiles, will benefit from having their products exclusively used by the teams in the renovations. Which you can then buy from The Block Shop online.

Even brands that don’t have a natural fit with the renovation genre, such as iSelect, found a clever way to integrate into the content. The funny ‘iSelect guy’ fronting all of its ads for many years, Jason Geary, was brought in to run a comedy workshop and challenge with the contestants. It also helped that Mr Geary is the national Theatresports champion.

Mr iSelect, Jason Geary, was featured on an episode as part of the comparison brand’s sponsorship deal.

For six-time sponsor Mitre 10, The Block is a clear extension of its existing partnership with the show’s host, Scott Cam. The hardware brand is able to leverage the two partnerships to build a deeper relationship with consumers.

Mitre 10 general manager of marketing Julie Smith said: “We integrate The Block throughout our marketing programs so our involvement gives us a lot of value and opportunities that a spot buy [normal TV ads in commercial breaks] cannot achieve. We take our The Block marketing programs right down to the store level.

“If the product/brand is relevant to the content, then [too much product placement] is not an issue. The Mitre 10 brand fits with the building of The Block. We’ve never had any negative feedback.”

Host Scott Cam has been a brand ambassador for Mitre 10 for years.

Ms Smith said the company has also used the program as part of its wider business strategy. Last year on The Block: Sky High, Mitre 10 used it as the platform to launch its private label Accent paint product.

Similarly, Suzuki used The Block as part of its launch strategy for its new S Cross model this year.

For the brands that get involved in TV sponsorship and in-program integration, the investment pays off. A respected study out of the UK by TV industry group Thinkbox argued brands which sponsor TV content generate deeper ‘emotional connections’ with audiences.

Last year, Suzuki marketing manager Andrew Moore told media industry publication AdNews that TV sponsorship was double the value of regular TV ad spots in the commercial breaks. Mr Moore said during the 2012 season, Suzuki promotions embedded on The Block saw its website traffic increase threefold during the broadcast.

Fan favourites Kyal and Kara came in third in the auctions.

Which is all great news for Nine, with advertisers clamouring to be part of the fun. Nine’s group sales and marketing director Peter Wiltshire told news.com.au: “The Block is an incredibly compelling proposition for building brands, giving repeat, high-profile exposure to audiences of a size it is increasingly difficult to attract night after night.

“Of the six partners and sponsors involved with Fans v Faves, every one of them activated The Block IP, a very clear demonstration that the market understands the power this format has to connect their brands with the hearts and minds of consumers.”

Mr Wiltshire said Mitre 10, Suzuki and The Good Guys have already signed up for the next series.

Did you notice the brand integration in The Block? Did it add or detract from your enjoyment of the show? Sound off below in the comments or on Twitter @newscomauhq or @wenleima