TV Product Placement: The Hidden and the Obvious
Columnist - Sandra Fong Young“This … is American Idol!” is Ryan Seacrest’s decree. But maybe it should be: “This … is Coca-Cola, Ford, AT&T, iTunes American Idol!”
“American Idol” is often cited as having one of the highest amounts of sponsored products and services. In fact, for the series’ 7th season, Nielsen Media Research reported that the show featured 4,151 product placements in its first 38 episodes. That’s over 109 product mentions per episode! Product placement is not a new concept for television shows, but its use has recently increased with the rise of reality TV series. More companies also seem to be turning to product placement as the number of households using DVR grows – since viewers aren’t watching as many commercials, companies are using in-program placement to increase product awareness and sales. But What is Product Placement? Product placement is a form of advertising. Companies pay either in cash or in-kind (e.g. cars to drive and blow-up in the show) to have their product/service displayed within a particular TV program. Costs will vary, but generally, the more a product is shown, the more a company will be charged. e.g. A product called out by name or visible within a longer scene will cost more than a brief shot of a logo or a product that is in the background of a scene. As a general rule, these monetary agreements are not disclosed within the context of the program, but may be briefly cited in the show’s credits. Don’t Some Shows Use Products Because They Just Like Them? Typically, no. Apple is one company that has stated it does not pay for product placement, yet its products frequently appear on shows. Usually though, if a TV series can get a company to pay to get in front of its viewership, it will take advantage of this opportunity. If a series cannot get a product sponsor or chooses not to pursue one, it will often use a generic item or create its own product brand. For example, if viewers look closely, they can often see recognizable products that have been turned around or where the logo has been covered over/removed, like a backwards-facing or de-badged Campbell’s red and white soup can. “American Idol” is a more obvious example of product placement; the judges drink from red branded Coca-Cola cups, and each week, the contestants participate in a commercial-like music video centered around Ford cars. But there are also many popular shows with product placements that viewers may not be aware of: • Why do they always repeat the prizes every single show on “America’s Next Top Model” and “Project Runway”? Because CoverGirl and BlueFly.com, respectively, would be very upset if they didn’t. • Nissan cars are frequently driven on the Wisteria Lane of “Desperate Housewives” and on “Heroes.”
• It’s also not a coincidence that characters on “The Office” all use Hewlett-Packard computers. Just Remember: If you hear or even see a product/service mentioned on TV by name or logo, it is most likely paying to be there. E-mail:
TheMomMarket@gmail.com |
Follow MeSandra Fong Young's ColumnsColumn LinksSponsors             |
