Photo of Survivor Placement May Win Five Pontiacs

Pontiac has once again partnered with a major TV show, this time, CBS' hit show Survivor to showcase its new Pontiac Torrent SUV. Pontiac is the sole auto sponsor of the series.

During the launch last Thursday night of Survivor Guatemala—The Maya Empire, six former Survivors appeared in a short feature, Survivor Search in the City, where they traveled in Pontiac Torrents to hit the "urban jungle." The six will appear in the shorts over the coming weeks as they drive around their home cities and local areas in Torrents.

In addition to product placement on the show, the sponsorship includes a sweepstakes in which consumers who spot one of the stars and snap their picture in the Torrent can submit the image for a chance to win five fully-loaded 2006 Pontiac Torrents—one for the entrant and four others to give to his or her "tribemates." Leo Burnett Detroit handles.

Consumers who spot former Survivors driving the Pontiac Torrent SUV get the chance to win one of the new cars

CBS said that the show consistently ranks in the Top 10 viewership every week and GM research showed that the Survivor audience is 25% more likely than other prime time shows to talk about the program.

"Because we're working with the enhanced enthusiasm of the audience, this promotion becomes naturally viral," said Mark-Hans Richer, Pontiac marketing director, in a statement.

Each week 15-second TV billboards on the show will drive consumers to the promotion in addition to Web ads on various portals including Yahoo and AOL. The former survivors will detail their travels on daily blogs at CBS.com.

Survivor Guatemala—The Maya Empire airs Thursdays at 8 pm ET. The 11th season began with six castaways arriving in Guatemala, dividing into two tribes and then immediately facing a grueling 11-mile hike through a dense jungle. Eighteen million viewers were reported to have watched the season opener.

Earlier this year, GM ran a successful campaign unveiling its new Pontiac Solstice on The Apprentice (PROMO Xtra April 19). One thousand people pre-ordered the car within 41 minutes after the show aired.

And in September 2004, talk show host Oprah Winfrey and General Motors teamed up to give all 276 audience members a fully-loaded 2005 Pontiac G6.

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