In-show advertising is as old as late-night itself, but as shows face declining ratings and shrinking budgets, sponsored content (or “brand activations,” as they’re called in marketing circles) has become increasingly common and, at times, more elaborate than ever before. In this recurring feature, we keep tabs on how late-night shows are working to wed commerce with comedy.
For its first piece of sponsored content in over a month, Jimmy Kimmel Live! went big—to the tune of 2,518 pounds.
JKL sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez stepped into a familiar role to promote restaurant chain Raising Cane’s, acting as a news reporter in a fake news piece. As the usual face of Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s brand integrations, Rodriguez has played a reporter in past sponsored pieces, including a series of segments for JCPenney earlier this year.
This time, the security guard/sidekick was reporting for PNN (the Pumpkin News Network) from the heart of Hollywood, where a 2,518-pound pumpkin had mysteriously cropped up, “shocking pedestrians and confusing police.”
Close-up shots of the pumpkin reveal it’s covered in an elaborate hand-carved depiction of Los Angeles and the Raising Cane’s logo. Interviewing witnesses, Rodriguez manages to find the artist/culprit immediately.
“It was me… I love pumpkins and Halloween, so I decided to bring a giant one here to Hollywood,” confesses Todd Graves, owner and founder of Raising Cane’s.
The second largest pumpkin in the country, Graves’ prized fruit is a personal endeavor for him, and a recurring theme for his company. A noted fan of Halloween, the founder has become known for acquiring the world’s largest pumpkins and using them to drum up hype for Raising Cane’s. (Last year, Graves purchased the largest pumpkin in the country: a 2,741-pounder carved with more Raising Cane’s-themed artwork.)
While the JKL segment is part of a formal partnership with Raising Cane’s, the new pumpkin’s appearance in Los Angeles was not just staged for the show. Raising Cane’s held a grand unveiling yesterday outside the TCL Chinese Theatre, with stars like Jesse Palmer and Landon Barker on hand to celebrate the achievement alongside Graves.
After thrusting his microphone into Graves’ face, Rodriguez interrogates Graves on a new topic: “There’s a rumor that I’m very hungry, and that you have a basket of Raising Cane’s chicken fingers behind your back,” says Rodriguez. “Any comment on that?”
Offered a chicken finger, Rodriguez is content to toss back to Jimmy Kimmel in the studio—but not before Graves presents the security guard with a miniature pumpkin carved in his likeness.
Sponsored segments have become a regular part of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, but the Raising Cane’s spot marks the first one since Jimmy Kimmel’s return to the air following his controversial temporary removal in September. Prior to Thursday’s show, the show had not trotted out spon-con in this way since a pre-taped skit for KitKat in mid-September.
