Getting at those hard-to-reach places

College students and the 18-24 age group in general are notoriously hard to reach. That's why there are events like the TKO (TechKnow Overload) Tour. This technology-savvy generation is one of the most skeptical audiences that advertisers want to reach. In 2002, the online spending rate for 18-24 year olds increased by 7%. As this age group gets older and enters the workforce, this spending power can only increase.

Product placement opens a back door to this age group's awareness. In Fox's new sitcom "The Loop" (which, by the way, is hysterical... check it out!), the 23-year-old lead character drives a Scion xB. Toyota's "younger" car, which resembles a tissue box, is targeted for this age group. When I was shopping for a car a few years back, Toyota salesmen refused to believe that I wanted to buy a Rav4, and instead kept pitching the Scion. It's customizable and reasonably priced, but it still hasn't taken off.

With jokes in the show sometimes revolving around the car (the lead changing in it to be more like his friends, him driving his controlling boss to an airfield), the product will become associated with laughter, fun, and a trendy new show. Advertisers now have another reason to look at the ratings of these new shows: to see if their products are being seen in use. It's a spokesperson, an extended commercial, and more.