Dive Brief: 

• LG Electronics is promoting its home appliances business with the launch of an episodic original series called “Estate of Survival” on Amazon Prime Video via Prime Video Direct, according to a press release. 
• The six-episode series follows the residents of the “Estate of Survival” mansion as they compete in a variety of challenges to earn home appliances and other items. The last resident standing will win a grand prize of $100,000. 
• The first two episodes of the series launched on Prime Video in the U.S. on Aug. 12 and will arrive in several other countries soon after. LG TV owners will also be able to view the series for free via LG Channels, the company’s streaming service.

Dive Insight:

LG is tapping into the popularity of reality competition shows and the rise of streaming with the launch of its new “Estate of Survival” series. The Amazon Prime Video tie-up could help the company reach a wide audience of streamers, including many who aren’t interested in traditional advertising. By leveraging a popular entertainment format like reality competition shows, the brand has an opportunity to engage these viewers in content they’re interested in which could drive interest in its home appliances business, which was recently credited for helping LG achieve its highest-ever second quarter revenue.

In “Estate of Survival,” contestants compete across six episodes to acquire household goods through a variety of missions, with the last resident standing the recipient of $100,000. A range of appliances will featured, including the InstaView refrigerator and Smart Top Control Dishwasher. The series also highlights LG’s ThinQ Care technology, which provides alerts to prevent incorrect appliance usage along with a smart diagnosis to reduce the need for service technician visits. 

The first two episodes of “Estate of Survival” launched in the U.S. on Prime Video on Aug. 12, and will eventually span other countries via Prime Video including Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Panama and Peru. The series will also be available to watch on LG Channels, the company’s streaming service, in over nine countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australia. 

Additionally, the series will stream on LG Channels Showcase, channel #999, which is LG’s first curated channel featuring popular movies and LG exclusives. Two episodes will premier back-to-back weekly on Monday nights beginning Aug. 12 at 8 p.m. EST. In addition to touting the benefits of LG’s home appliances, “Estate of Survival” could also serve to boost LG’s streaming service as cord-cutting behavior persists. 

LG, a South Korean company, manufacturers consumer and commercial products like TVs, automotive components and formerly mobile phones, in addition to home appliances. Prior to its latest move, the company launched a global campaign, “Optimism your feed,” meant to bring more positivity to consumers’ social media experience, a likely ploy by the brand to reach younger audiences like Gen Z. 

Beyond LG, marketers ranging from State Farm to Pepsi have also sought to reach fans of reality TV. Last year, Neutrogena launched “Hydro House,” a social-first TikTok campaign that spoofed reality TV dating shows. During the series, seven influencers were seen vying for the attention of Neutrogena’s Hydro Boost Cleanser.