Product Placement Summary

While working on my blog this semester in Audience Research I learned a great deal about product placement. I have become more aware of the abundance of product placement in media. With the increased use of online television and TiVo, comanies are looking to product placement. By placing products in character dialogue and/or in the actual scene, viewers are unable to skip over advertisements. They see the product being used. By positioning it on certain shows, the brand image is portrayed.

In my blogs I examined how products are paired with different television shows and movies. Each product placement is thought about and researched carefully. Nielson launched new software for product placement analysis which will help greatly for years to come. I researched shows like Lost, American Idol, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Desperate Housewives, and The Hills. These shows had specific audiences and very specific product placements.

I even found a website that lists the product placements featured on current tv, movies, and celebrity style. The website is called seenon.com. Visitors can browse by show, episode, brand, and even character. They can then purchase the item. The website has sponsors including Cole Hahn and Marc Jacobs. They claim to be further combining shopping and entertainment.

As my generation gets older and technology increases, there is no doubt in my mind that all forms of media will eventually converge as one. As Apple introduced its new iPhone, I wasn't surprised that a phone included internet capabilities, games, photos, and music. Earlier this month, an Israeli cellular phone company announced that it will feature product placement in their free games. Surprise, surprise. It will be interesting to see how much more product placement will be used.

Maybe in the future we will have product placement flash from our alarm clocks. Constantly changing advertisements could look back at us while we brush our teeth. Televisions on refridgerators may talk to us and tell us about new products. The future of product placement is looking good and I'm lucky to be experiencing an industry that is constantly changing and evolving.