When the wildcat oil drilling crew in truTV’s “Black Gold” chows down in one of its final episodes, it seems natural that they ordered a pie from Pizza Hut.
But Pizza Hut’s placement is one of three sponsorship deals Turner Entertainment carefully choreographed for the gritty truTV series that portrays the world of present day entrepreneurs hoping to strike it rich in west Texas.
Western Union will sponsor the opening five episodes of the eight-week series that debuts in primetime tomorrow night. Its presence is tied to a trivia question that takes 15 seconds and segues into a 30-second Western Union spot. The answer is delivered in a 15-second segment that follows that spot.
The truTV triple play positions Mutual of Omaha in the final three weeks with straightforward 30-second spots. But all three will also have a billboard presence reminding viewers that the particular episode is being sponsored by each of the respective companies.
“A number of categories makes sense with the show,” said Katherine Johnson, senior vice president for Turner Entertainment Promotions and Marketing. “Those three companies had a desire to get in with a hot new property.”
They also were interested in reaching the same 18-49-year-old target that truTV aims at as its prime audience.
The audience for “Black Gold” figures to skew toward male viewers, but current world events have made the show about the nuts and bolts of seeking new oil deposits more topical.
“We got very lucky with the tremendous amount of media attention on the subject,” said Johnson. “This gives a view of oil-catting that no one’s familiar with.”
Turner struck a deal earlier this year creating two-minute spots featuring cast members from Twentieth Century Fox’s “What Happens In Vegas” as another new wrinkle for truTV. It’s all part of an effort to support truTV in its transition from its former identity as Court TV.
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