​She has single-handedly moved drag into the pop culture with her hit Logo reality series “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”

But has drag superstar RuPaul also ushered in a revolution in product placement?

AdWeek explores the entertainer’s use of brand integration on her show, detailing how “Drag Race” is just one of several reality competitions that have kicked the clumsy product placement of yesteryear to the curb. That’s been replaced with “immersive integration,” which reporter David Gianatasio describes as “a sophisticated, highly creative hybrid that fuses content and commerce by making brands intrinsic elements of the drama, excitement and storyline of prime-time programs.”

The tactic is becoming all the more important as a rising generation of TV viewers reared on ad-skipping DVRs and streaming services is tuning out traditional marketing messaging in greater numbers.

So how has Ms. Ru helped brands find their footing in this Brave New Ad-Skipping World?

In the case of the Las Vegas tourism board, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” produced a series of vignette packages starring previous contestants, which led into traditional :30 spots. They also invited viewers to enter a contest to win a trip to Vegas, and hosted a gala finale party at the Tropicana hotel on The Strip.

Gianatasio writes that reality competitions are fertile ground for these integrations because “it’s understood that contestants compete for cash or prizes, so the balance between content and commerce feels less strained than in scripted fare.”

Read More: Ad Week

Brief Take: As savvy viewers tune out traditional advertising in greater numbers, brands will need to rely more than ever on seamless integration that doesn’t smack audiences over the head with a clumsy and overt marketing message.

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