Product placement has become a staple in most companies’ marketing mix over the past decade. It is rare to see a film these days that doesn’t showcase a soft drink, an alcoholic beverage or a new car. The practice of inserting branded products into a script has expanded from film into television, to music videos, Broadway plays and most recently video games.

Donald Trump’s “Apprentice” escalated product placement to its most obvious level by selling the team competition segments, which are the focus of each show, to the highest bidder. Contestants vied to create a new sandwich for Burger King or a new jingle for Arby’s. If the on-air plugs by Mr. Trump weren’t enough, often the commercial breaks contained 60-second ads for the real product.

Reality TV is now turning the idea of product placement into company placement. As the July 24th edition of New York Times reported, the Women’s Entertainment Network (WE) will launch “Unwrapping Macy’s” on September 30, the first reality show to revolve around an American retailer. According to the article, the eight-part series will follow a handful of hardworking employees who manage the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, design elaborate window displays and scour the world for undiscovered clothing designers. This isn’t the first reality show to expose the behind-the-scenes drama at a business. “The Restaurant,” which first aired on NBC in July 2003, showcased the day-to-day issues of running a New York City eating establishment and A&E featured Southwest Airlines in a documentary series called “Airline.”

It will be interesting to see how many potential shoppers tune in to see the employees responsible for Macy’s Santa displays complaining about the “lazy, poorly performing elves.” But regardless of the ratings, we can expect to see many more corporate docudramas in the future. Despite management concerns over airing their dirty laundry on television, the public’s thirst for authentic stories will drive demand for legitimate looks inside the business world. And savvy corporations will respond by providing a peek under the tent at the most positive aspects of their business. Imagine a pharmaceutical company participating in a program that showcases their laboratory research to find the cure for breast cancer. Or the drama of hundreds of insurance agents helping people after a major hurricane. The possibilities are unlimited and so are the opportunities for corporations to tell the “real story” about how they think, act and work.

In the not too distant future, it is possible that large consumer brands will actually sponsor entire channels. Why not the “Wal-Mart Channel,” featuring programs about shopping, cooking ideas, home decorating tips and even profiles of rural America? Or the “McDonald’s Channel,” filled with shows that appeal to families on topics like nutrition, exercise and travel. Both could incorporate their most compelling employees into a reality scenarios, or document the impact of their community involvement, such as the Ronald McDonald House. Regulators might complain that America’s biggest brands are controlling the airwaves, but many of them already spend enough on advertising to support a cable network or two. However, the public won’t mind and they will definitely tune in for a taste of Corporate America. Plus, the people who do watch will likely be loyal, devoted customers – exactly the people most brands want to reach.

So stay tuned for more corporate reality. Because in a world of fragmented messages, the ability to tell an authentic story to a highly-motivated audience is a show many companies won’t want to miss.