What you might not notice when watching TV Commercials, is that these days most commercials including families are actually made up of real, genuine families, not actors.

The connection of real families on set won’t ever replicate the connection of strangers, even if they are excellent actors. This has led to an increase in the number of real-life families landing roles together.

Casting real families has many benefits for the talent and entertainment industry, as well as for the families themselves.

The request for REAL families or REAL siblings or even the odd cousin or grandparent is rapidly increasing in the entertainment industry. Previously it was much more common to manufacture a family during the casting process, by matching talent to look a- like parents. The problem was, you can’t manufacture a genuine family connection.

A real mother and son will always be more believable on camera, it provides a sense of authenticity when filming, making the client’s job easier when it comes to producing the final edit of the advertisement. It also makes it much easier for talent to be themselves on set and with acting skills or experience not always necessary for some campaigns, we have seen this trend grow at a rapid pace.

The idea of family advertising has become a prominent symbol in advertising and is used by marketers to increase profits. According to sociology, it is argued that these families have a stronger influence on their audiences. Nonetheless, families are used as a functional advertising tool – increasing profit as well as building a strong reputation with their consumers. Who would have thought your little family would be the reason a business makes a turnover.

Using real families in their campaigns also allows a brand to become more relatable because when you look at these advertisements, your subconscious tells you “hey, these people are just like me!”.

The De Paula siblings for Britax[/caption]

So with all these benefits to brands, what are the benefits to your family?

Well, not only do you get to feature in a national campaign (and be paid for it), but you get to spend quality time with your family and have a unique experience that you will all remember for a long time.

In just the past few months, we have been asked by several different types of companies for real siblings to cast in their latest TVC or shoot.

Some examples are Arnotts, Myer and Riviera Australia. Families have been requested by realestate.com, Allianz, NSW transport, Guardian Funerals, Werribee Open Range Zoo, P&O Cruises, NT Tourism, Rivera Australia and Tourism of Fiji.

Some families have scored all expenses paid for holidays by clients for their work, and on top of it, they get paid for their time as well!

Bettina Management has recently launched their Bettina Families division, available to Bettina talent. If your child is currently represented by Bettina Management and you are interested in joining Bettina Families at no extra cost, please contact [email protected]