Clorox Hops Aboard the Soap Opera Redux

You have to be pretty old to remember the original slew of soap operas. While many are currently suffering cancellation, there was a day when soap operas ruled the airwaves with millions upon millions of viewers. And while they were always advertiser supported, they got there name from the fact household brands such as P&G, Lever, and Colgate-Palmolive sponsored and produced the shows when they were first broadcast on radio and then television.

As daytime television audiences dwindled, soap operas lost their luster and, sadly to many, have been getting cancelled after 25 - 35 year runs. But, leave it to the web to rescue and rejuvenate just about anything. While episodic online shows aren't a new thing and have been produced for quite some time, the genre is far from the mainstream glory days of televised soap operas.

The latest entry to the webisode genre comes to us from Clorox via RedLever Studios and Emmy-winning producer Jonathan Prince. The brand will debut Supermoms, a show directed by Michael Barnett - who recently directed the HBO documentary Superheroes - that will focus on four suburban moms with super powers. Julie Warner, Joey Lauren Adams and Lourdes Benedicto will star.

Whether or not people will "tune in" is, as with any new show, the big question. The show will be distributed by RedLever sister company Joost (remember them?) to a host of niche sites as well as have promotional support through online advertising which will drive people to the show's home base, a yet to be launched Facebook page.

Product placements will include Clorox Liquid Bleach, Clorox Clean-Up, Glad Trash Bags and Fresh Step Cat litter. Clorox previously dabbled with online webisodes when they debuted Garden Party in 2010, a show starring 90210 alum Jennie Garth which incorporated promotion for Hidden Valley Ranch dressing.