Response to "Product Placement: The Devil's Tool"

Valdy, your post on product placement recalled to my mind some things I think every time I notice product placement. Like you said, it can be something that is scary because it sometimes is so in your face that there is no way to escape it. Whether or not we fall into the idea and end up wanting whatever product being promoted is an entirely different question however. Like Chuck, the product placement videos that you posted from Wayne’s World and Happy Gilmore are very funny ways to include product placement, and that form of product placement does in fact seem more harmless. Another example of this type of product placement was in this week’s episode of The Big Bang Theory, even though it seemed subtle, in the fact that the brand was not mentioned. In the episode, Raj enters into a twisted “relationship” with Siri, and anyone who knew what Siri was got a good laugh, and those who didn’t were probably inclined to look up what it was. And boom, an Apple product commercial was born. 

However, very blatant product placement, in my opinion, can sometimes act like a turn-off, yet it is unlikely, especially if one watching the show or movie is really into the actors or characters. For example, when 24 was still on the air I watched it religiously. I can admit, some parts seemed like Ford commercials to me, only reinforced by the actually Ford commercials during commercial breaks. But this didn’t seem harmful because I loved the show. It’s only when I watch a show that I don’t like and I notice product placement does it bother me.

But, I do think that a large reason that product placement occurs is because whenever there are commercial breaks, people talk, walk away from the TV or simply don’t pay attention, leaving the companies who are trying to sell without the ability to grasp their audience. This is especially true now that people have PVRs with the ability to fast-forward through all the commercials. So, I think that product placement is a way to make up for the fact that less and less people watch commercials.