Stories and Suds: The Origins of Branded Content
The Legacy of the "Soap Opera" Lives On
In the golden age of radio and early television, a peculiar alliance between household cleaning products and dramatic storytelling gave birth to one of the most enduring genres in entertainment history: the soap opera. Today, as we binge-watch our favorite series on streaming platforms, it's easy to forget that the roots of serialized drama lie in the marketing strategies of soap manufacturers. Let's dive into how brands like Procter & Gamble didn't just sponsor shows – they created an entire genre, and how this strategy is making a comeback in surprising industries.
Soap Brands and Serial Drama
Before Netflix algorithms and YouTube influencers, soap companies vied for the attention of Americans. In the 1930s, as radio became a fixture in homes across the nation, savvy marketers at companies like Procter & Gamble (P&G) recognized an opportunity. Their target audience – primarily homemakers – were the most frequent consumers of daytime radio. This insight led to the creation of a new form of branded entertainment that would captivate audiences for decades to come.
Procter & Gamble: The Original Content Studio
Procter & Gamble wasn't content with merely buying ad space. They became full-fledged content producers, funding and developing numerous radio soap operas. Their flagship show, "The Guiding Light," debuted on radio in 1937 and made the leap to television in 1952, running for an astounding 72 years.
In the 1930s and 1940s, P&G was producing up to 22 hours of radio programming per week. By 1970, over 18 million households tuned into daytime soap operas regularly and in 1981, "General Hospital's" wedding episode drew 30 million viewers (almost 2x that of today’s NFL games)
The Soap Opera Formula: Drama + Product Placement
The genius of the soap opera lay in its format:
Serialized Storytelling: Soap operas never truly ended, encouraging daily viewership.
Emotional Resonance: Stories mirrored the everyday struggles of their audience, creating a strong emotional connection.
Frequent Ad Breaks: The structure allowed for multiple commercial breaks, where sponsors could showcase their products.
Brand Integration: The values the brand wanted to portray, and the products themselves, appeared in the programs. "Oxydol's Own Ma Perkins," even incorporated the sponsor's name into the title.
This formula proved so successful that other brands quickly followed suit. Colgate-Palmolive and Lever Brothers joined the fray, each sponsoring their own slate of shows. The result? A daytime lineup where drama and detergent went hand in hand.
From Radio Waves to Television Screens
As television began to supplant radio in the 1950s, soap operas rapidly transitioned to the small screen. Shows like "As the World Turns" (another P&G production) debuted in 1956 and ran for 54 years. The visual medium allowed for even more effective product placement and brand association.
The Legacy of Branded Content
In many ways, the soap opera sponsorship model was ahead of its time, prefiguring modern content marketing strategies. Today's branded podcasts, YouTube series, and native advertising all owe a debt to those early soap manufacturers who saw the potential in telling stories to sell suds.
Everything Old is New Again
While the heyday of traditional soap operas has passed, the strategy of brands creating engaging content is experiencing a renaissance. Recently, several players have made waves by embracing this approach:
Chick-fil-A announced it is developing a slate of original, family friendly shows for its app and YouTube channel, in partnership with Glassman Media and Sugar23.
Northwell Health, New York State's largest healthcare provider, has partnered with a production studio to create a medical drama series.
Starbucks announced in June that it would “produce original entertainment and tell stories that deepen connections and spark conversations” in partnership with Sugar23, and that “storytelling is deeply ingrained in what Starbucks does, and Starbucks Studios is a natural extension of these efforts."
The Bubble Bursts, But the Impact Remains
While the dominance of traditional soap operas has waned, their impact on both entertainment and advertising cannot be overstated. The soap opera genre:
Pioneered serialized storytelling techniques now common in prestige TV
Demonstrated the power of consistent, daily engagement with an audience
Showed how brands could become an integral part of media content, not just advertising
As we see with Chick-fil-A, Northwell Health and Starbucks, the core strategy is evolving for the digital age. These brands are creating content that aligns with their values and expertise, aiming to forge emotional connections with consumers just as Procter & Gamble did decades ago.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Branded Content
As we navigate the current landscape of streaming wars and social media influencers, it's clear that the marriage of content and commerce isn't just alive – it's thriving in new and innovative ways. From fast food to healthcare to coffee, brands are recognizing the power of storytelling to connect with their audience.
Will Chick-fil-A's feelgood series become the modern equivalent of "The Guiding Light"? Could Northwell Health's medical drama create the same brand loyalty that Procter & Gamble enjoyed? Only time will tell. But one thing is certain: the legacy of those early soap operas continues to shape how brands approach content creation and audience engagement.
In an era of ad-blockers and subscription services, the ability to create compelling, brand-aligned content may well be the key to capturing the hearts – and wallets – of consumers. As we've seen, it all began with a simple bar of soap and a captivating story. Now, it's evolving with a chicken sandwich and a stethoscope.
In the next post, I'll continue exploring the medium of soap operas - specifically as a content format that successfully navigated a fundamental shift in platforms - from radio to television.
Stay tuned.