Peacock’s Bel-Air Turns Season 2 Upside Down With Fresh Slate of Brand Partners

Peacock’s steely Bel-Air series returns for Season 2 today, and the NBCUniversal streaming service lined up a host of brands to back the reboot.

The first season of the show became one of Peacock’s most-watched original series after it debuted on Super Bowl Sunday last year, and brands like Lexus are happy to make a return.

“We’re thrilled to join Peacock for another season of one of its most-watched series. This sponsorship has allowed us to find new ways to seamlessly integrate our products and brand vision while connecting authentically with the audience,” Vinay Shahani, vp of Lexus Marketing, said in a statement. “Our Lexus vehicles have been an integral part of Will, Carlton and the family’s story, and we can’t wait to see where they take them this season.”  

The show’s main character, Will, and his family will be repping the brand’s LX 600 Ultra Luxury vehicle, and Jazz (played by Jordan L. Jones) will voice star in a solo ad that highlights the battery-electric Lexus RZ 450e.

NBCUniversal’s creative partnerships team joined up with State Farm and Xfinity for custom spots featuring Bel-Air talent. And as part of Peacock’s new user experience “Watch With,” which lets fans interact with talent, stars Jabari Banks and Olly Sholotan will engage with viewers Friday. State Farm sponsors the promotion.

Every brand partner that signed on for Season 2 will have access to Peacock’s ad formats, including binge, pause, engagement and solo ads.

“Peacock has the power to inspire audiences, shape culture, reimagine advertising and so much more through NBCU’s expertise in both content and technology as we work hand-in-hand with our partners,” Peter Blacker, evp, streaming and data products and head of DEI, advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal, said in a statement. “We’ve been able to collaborate and seamlessly add immense value for our audiences and marketers across the platform since launch. And during this new season of Bel-Air, we’ve pushed the boundaries even further by infusing this iconic IP authentically with brand partner messages, delivering an elevated viewing experience to fans.”   

Xfinity takes advantage of an engagement ad by letting fans participate in a game of trivia, as well as a 10G network spot featuring Bel-Air talent. And first-time partner Simply Spiked appears in the show as Will’s cousin Hilary Banks finds her place in the influencer industry.

According to NBCUniversal’s measurement and impact study, brands that previously partnered with the show for Season 1 saw double-digit lifts in KPIs throughout the purchase funnel, and overall commercial innovations saw a 30% lift in unaided brand awareness, a 17% boost in brand favorability and a 23% increase in purchase intent.

The company’s streaming service ended 2022 with 20 million paid subscribers, an addition of 5 million, which was driven by live sports, films and originals. It was Peacock’s best quarterly result since it launched in 2020.

Even though NBCUniversal expects 2023 to reach peak losses for Peacock, the company remains steadfast in its belief in the streaming service, with new hit series Poker Face and the upcoming Bel-Air season expected to further drive subscription growth.