June 3, 2023

Product Placements and The Entertainment Industry Ezekiel Muoneke Content Writer Blog June 3, 2023 1:57 pm Have you ever seen a movie scene where a particular product is brandished for a few seconds or a TV show where a character casually mentions the name of a brand? If you have, then you’ve very likely witnessed a form of advertising called product placement.  Product placement is a technique that companies use to promote their products or services by integrating them into various forms of media, such as films, TV shows, video games, music, and even books. Product placement can be subtle or obvious, depending on the context and the intention of the advertiser. In this article, we will explore what product placement is, how it works, why it is important, and some examples of successful product placements in the entertainment industry. Product Placement: The Art The Oxford Dictionary defines product placement as a practise in which producers of goods or providers of services pay to have their goods or services advertised in films and television shows. Product placement can also be referred to as “embedded marketing” or “embedded advertising”, as it involves embedding the product or service into the content of the media. Product placement can take various forms, such as: • Visual: The product or service is shown on screen, either prominently or in the background. For example, a character may drink a can of soda with a recognisable logo or drive a car with a visible brand name. • Verbal: The product or service is mentioned by name or described by a character or narrator. For example, a character may praise the quality of a smartphone or recommend a restaurant to another character. • Plot: The product or service is integrated into the storyline or theme of the media. For example, a character may use a specific gadget to solve a problem or achieve a goal, or a scene may take place in a specific location that showcases the product or service. How Product Placement Works  Product placement works by creating an association between the product or service and the media content that features it. This can influence the audience’s perception, attitude, and behaviour towards the product or service. According to Investopedia, product placement can create explicit and implicit advertising effects. ~ Explicit effects: Product placement can increase awareness and recall of the product or service among the audience. For instance, after seeing a brand mentioned in a movie through product placement, viewers are more likely to identify it. ~ Implicit effects: Product placement can affect the feelings and opinions of the audience towards the product or service. For example, product placement can create positive associations between the product or service and the characters, settings, or emotions depicted in the content. Product placement can also influence the purchase intention and behaviour of the audience. For example, product placement can create a desire for the product or service among the audience, especially if it is portrayed as desirable, useful, or trendy. Product placement can also trigger impulse buying among the audience, especially if they encounter the product or service shortly after seeing it in the content. Why Product Placement is Important Both media producers and advertisers value product placement. Product placement can be beneficial to advertising for a variety of reasons, including: 1. Cost-effectiveness: Compared to other types of promotion, such as TV commercials or print ads, product placement can be more affordable. Since it can be viewed by many audiences frequently over time, product placement can also result in long-term exposure and value for the good or service. 2. Credibility: Because product placement might be interpreted as an endorsement by the media content or its creators, it can increase the product or service’s credibility and trustworthiness. Product placement can also avoid some of the scepticism and resistance that traditional advertising may face from consumers who are wary of being manipulated by marketers. 3. Relevance: Product placement can make the product or service more relevant and appealing to the target audience, as it can be tailored to fit the context and style of the media content. Product placement can also reach audiences who are otherwise difficult to access through traditional advertising channels, such as young people who consume more digital content than traditional media. ENJOYING THE ARTICLE? Sign up For Our Newsletter  For media producers, product placement can also offer several benefits, such as: 1. Revenue: Product placement can provide an additional source of revenue for media producers who may face challenges in funding their projects. Product placement can also help offset some of the production costs involved in creating high-quality media content.  2. Resources: For media producers, product placement can provide them access to resources that might otherwise be too expensive or impossible to access. The quality of the media content can be enhanced, for instance, by using product placement to gain access to venues, props, tools, talent, and distribution channels. 3. Great Traction—More Endorsement Deals: Great delivery creates great traction, and consistent delivery creates more endorsement deals; it’s not rocket science. When a TV show or movie delivers massively in its first and subsequent outings, there’s bound to be a lot of hype and rave, and this is good for business, especially when it comes to product placement and how it’s neatly done. Take, for instance, the Nigerian reality TV show Big Brother Naija. When it re-emerged on the scene in early 2017, it promised to be a total revamp of the original, promising more excitement and buzz like never before, no small thanks to its now famous tagline, “See Gobbe.” It ended up delivering, successfully spawning five more seasons and counting and inherently becoming a hotspot for product placement in Nigerian entertainment.   Examples of Product Placement in Movies Movies are one of the most popular and lucrative platforms for product placement, as they can reach a large and diverse audience worldwide. Some movies are known for featuring multiple brands and products throughout their scenes, while