It had humble beginnings as a Netflix drama about a young American woman who moves to Paris with big dreams of a career in high-end fashion.
But now hit show Emily In Paris has become big business and is taking TV product placement to new levels, if the latest series is anything to go by.
The highly anticipated fourth season of the show was released in two parts on the streaming platform earlier this month. Analysis by The Mail on Sunday found that 37 brands are present across its ten episodes, from Starbucks coffee to high-end fashion houses Chanel, Dior, Hermes and Bulgari.
Netflix reportedly uses product placement (getting paid to insert a brand into scenes or a story) as a way to make money without compromising its ad-free entertainment business model.
The platform has also partnered with the Google Lens app this season, which allows fans to instantly search and purchase items featured on the show by pointing their smartphone at the screen.
Lily Collins in Emily in Paris. The latest series has taken product placement to a whole new level, with over 30 brands showcased across 10 episodes.
Ami (Alexandre Matiussi) advertised in an episode of Emily in Paris. A total of 37 brands are connected to the latest series, from
Viewers in the US are warned that the show contains product placement, as required by law. But UK viewers don’t see the same notification because Ofcom’s rules on this practice apply only to streaming channels rather than streaming services.
Among the flurry of brands in the latest series is car manufacturer Renault, which receives a minute-long advert when a fictional advert for a new model is filmed.
The French Open tennis tournament, Roland Garros, has eight minutes of episode one dedicated to it, while Ami Paris, a luxury fashion brand, becomes involved in the plot.
Netflix’s own regency drama Bridgerton is included in episode three, and there are regular references to social media apps TikTok and Instagram.
Le Monde newspaper appears throughout the series, as does Eurovision, while Crazy Horse, an expensive Parisian cabaret restaurant known for its naked dancers, has an entire episode dedicated to it.
The show’s money-making power is hard to ignore: a fictional perfume called Heartbreak that it launched in collaboration with French luxury house Baccarat is now available for sale in real life… at £390 a bottle.
Luxury skincare brand Augustinus Bader appears in episode four. Its executive director, Charles Rosier, said: “It was an organic plot integration. We love the show and were excited when the producers approached us.”
A fictional perfume called Heartbreak introduced in collaboration with French luxury house Baccarat is now available for sale in real life… at £390 a bottle.
Apple devices connected during an episode of Emily in Paris
Emily In Paris follows American marketing executive Emily Cooper, played by 35-year-old Lily Collins, as she navigates life, love and her career in the French capital.
Previous seasons have seen an increase in sales of screen-used clothing and accessories.
Released in 2020, the first season was streamed by 58 million households, according to Netflix, while the second season was the most-watched Netflix show of 2022. The first half of the fourth season topped the global TV chart last week, with 19.9 million visits in its first four days.
Paramount Pictures, which produces the show, and Netflix have been contacted for comment.
