On MTV, the Ads Never End

Unilever's advertising firm, the Publicis Groupe agency Bartle Bogle Hegarty (BBH), and the production company Radical Media are behind a new MTV show. "The Gamekillers" is both "a scripted reality show" and "the first major marketing push behind the new Axe Dry antiperspirant stick." This foray into "branded entertainment" will not directly feature the Unilever product, but the show's characters, "visual look and typography will be tied to the brand when they appear in an ad campaign that breaks a week after the show makes its debut," on February 6. BBH's Kevin Roddy said, "The whole show is about making a brand statement without mentioning the brand." Unilever covered production costs, while "MTV brought air time and marketing support."