The Reality of Product Placement
A recent AdAge article highlighted a study that was conducted to measure the impact and effectiveness of product placement in TV shows. The study, which was conducted by researchers from Ehrenberg-Bass Institute for Marketing Science, took a look at over 1,000 brand placements on U.S. prime-time TV across 11 broadcast and cable networks over 85 hours. Any placement was considered, regardless of whether or not in was paid for. The study discovered that placements in reality shows lasted about the same amount of time as those in other TV show genres (70% of visual exposures were less than five seconds long). The study also found that 57% of placements in reality shows were “fully exposed,” while 94% of placements in comedies were “fully exposed.” Comedies also exceeded reality shows in the number of placements in which the product was seen visually and discussed verbally by three times.
Although many current advertisers believe reality TV is the best genre for TV product placement, this article points to some interesting data. The article suggests that although it is important for a product to get some face time during a show, and reality shows are an easy way to achieve this, it is also important that the face time is accompanied by positive product interaction. Is reality the best TV genre for product placement? After reviewing the details of the study, I’m not sure that it is. Although reality TV offers some benefits that other genres do not, the placement times and exposure amounts do not seem to be reliable or consistent. Other genres, such as comedy, offer greater amounts of exposure which is an important element in considering the amount of brand clutter that is apparent in TV shows. The greater the amount of product exposure, the more likely the product is to stand out among other brands placed in the same shows. It is possible that marketers should begin to expand to other TV genres beyond reality shows for the placement of products.
http://adage.com/digital/article?article_id=126152
posted by Alison @ 4:09 PM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
You have a very good point, but at the same time you are also missing an equally important aspect of advertising through reality tv shows. The public is becoming very media savvy and are aware of the delibrate attempts of advertisers to place their products in recurring shows and sitcoms. Reality tv is supposed to be just that, reality. Even though a lot of things are scripted and controlled in these shows they still appear to the consumer as "real". The public is more inclined to believe a product placement is genuine if it is in reality tv versus a sitcom.
It is very unfortunate that American television has come to just Reality TV shows. That is all that is on these days just with different curve balls in each one to make them seem different from each other. Since there are so many more reality television shows rather than scripted ones, the messages are not seen as much even though they are remembered better. I think we just need to cut it out with the amount of reality television because it is getting out of hand.
This comment has been removed by the author.
I certainly agree that it is important to consider positive interaction with product placement within reality television. I think that I take more notice in a celebrity's character on a sitcom using a certain brand of make-up as opposed to a random girl on the Real World using the same product. I think that it has to do with a subconscious trust that television viewers gain with characters and that "trust" isn't as strong with reality stars that you only watch for one season. I do think that reality television is an easy market for product placement, however, brands should be aware of how their products are represented.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home