McDonald’s Looks to Score Again Before Finals Game 2

By Jon Lafayette
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

Before Game 2 of the NBA Finals, Jimmy Kimmel’s sidekick Guillermo will deal another assist to McDonald’s in an integration highlighting the fast-food chain’s fresh beef Quarter Pounder.

Jimmy Kimmel Live has been a magnet for product integrations and his special Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night editions preceding NBA Finals games between the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers on ABC are drawing interest as well.

Before game one, the show had a 30-second integration showing Guillermo as the coach of a kids basketball team celebrating a game with a meal at the Golden Arches. He’s about to give a pep talks, but takes a bite from a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder featuring fresh beef and is left speechless.

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Another integration for McDonald’s featuring Guillermo is scheduled to air before Game 2 on Sunday.

Financial terms of the integration were not disclosed.

ABC has bolstered its integrated marketing ad sales team under Disney/ABC President of ad sales Rita Ferro. The team helps develop creative executions for clients that aim to be minimally disruptive to viewers.

So far this year, Jimmy Kimmel Live has aired 42 integrations for advertisers including Bank of America, Google, Diageo, Coke Zero Sugar and American Family.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pU70EUb0grc[/embed]

The network has also been experimenting with other formats designed to be less disruptive to viewers but more impactful for advertisers, including five-second commercials and spots that air during a split-screen allowing the audience to continue to monitor the action while a message gets delivered.

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night in primetime feature the host’s signature comedy bits—Thursday night featured an NBA edition of Mean Tweets- and an all-star lineup of guests, including Sandra Bullock, Jamie Foxx, Ryan Gosling, Tiffany Haddish, Samuel L. Jackson and Jennifer Lopez.

Jimmy Kimmel Live: Game Night primetime specials air 8 p.m. ET, 7 p.m. CT and following the NBA Finals on the West Coast on ABC.

Jon Lafayette
Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.