Product Placement on TV

fitz0

I've just watched the latest episode of Bones and tbh the amount of shameless Avatar promotion was shocking. The whole subplot revolved around Avatar. While quite a good episode I couldn't help but be a bit annoyed at the incessant advertising, especially since it took centre stage to the main story of the episode.

Has anyone else any gripes about blatant advertising in tv shows?

EDIT: Not about the ad breaks. Well, maybe the crap between ads and the show.

Elmo

Europe has provided rules surrounding Product Placement in programmes. However imported programming would be exempt from such rules. These new rule will be subsumed in Irish Law over the next few weeks. The BAI did ask for the publics options on product placement. The European rules allow for member states to block all Product Placement.

The Apprentice on TV3 is one big advert for several products, under EU laws new and old the show is in directed opposition to EU and Irish product placement laws, however the BAI has backed away from this issue. We will wait to see if the new laws will be regulated. UK plan to ban Product Placement out right.

http://www.bai.ie/pdfs/bai_draft_codes_audiovisual_comercial_communications.pdf

However you seem to be talking about show sponsorship. Avatar is the current sponsor of Bones. If the detectives in the series sat watching Avatar in the cinema, or if James Cameron guest starred mainly talking about his new film Avatar.... well then it would be product placement. Is this the case????

FouxDaFaFa

I noticed the Avatar advertising in Bones as well. Well, you'd need to be blind not to.:pac:
Was really disappointed with it. They showed a trailer, it dominated conversation between three of the characters, they were outside of the cinema waiting for it for half the show.

Ironically, I can't wait for Avatar and like Bones but I thought it was a bit ridiculous.

AlmightyCushion

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsjU6SUVudw

Buceph

I wouldn't be too bothered with some of the milder forms of product placement. I haven't seen the Bones one, but with some shows, I think CSI is the main one I'm thinking of, there's subtler product placement. They have Dell monitors and computers in all their labs and Dell laptops whenever they have a computer in the field. It makes sense logically for them to have computers, so why not sell the position in the show. Likewise for NCIS they are always taking pictures of the crime scenes, and it's always a Nikon camera. While the CSI one can be a bit off with slightly lingering shots, the NCIS Nikon deal makes me wonder if it's even product placement, because it's so integrated.

I'm generally for unobtrusive product placement though. I don't watch the ads, and the revenues for the big blockbuster shows have to come from somewhere. Sponsorship of shows is one way, and product placement is the other. Without them, and with more and more people downloading shows, or using Sky+ to skip the ads more integrated ways will have to be used.

steve 0

Elmo wrote: »

UK plan to ban Product Placement out right.

Are you sure?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8252901.stm

mike65

Yep PP is to be allowed for the first time, bad move in my view. I'd sooner more Sponsered programmes as that is very straightforward.

pickarooney

I have no objection to it provided the script hasn't been tailored to the product. Where items that would have been in shot anyway - cameras, computers (does anyone on TV not have a Mac?) are shown briefly with a recognisable logo it doesn't bother me.

It's not like I feel compelled to buy a Porsche after watching Californication.

Elmo

steve 0 wrote: »

Are you sure?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8252901.stm

There were suggestions that the UK would ban PP.

I have no objection to it provided the script hasn't been tailored to the product. Where items that would have been in shot anyway - cameras, computers (does anyone on TV not have a Mac?) are shown briefly with a recognisable logo it doesn't bother me.

On 24 the bad guys had Dells and Jack had an Apple, but that changed the next season. They had FOX News being watched by Day 5's characters, the one with the bad president and then their reverted back to CNB (generic TV news) for the female president. It makes you think doesn't it!

It's not like I feel compelled to buy a Porsche after watching Californication.

If only Jack drove a Porche. He drives a Nissan and uses a Sprint mobile phone. I wish I could use Sprint here. I suppose I can afford a Nissan.

LookingFor

I've never watched it before, but over-hearing my brother watching it, is the Apprentice always this shameless about plugging companies?

For example in the show that's on now, there's been multiple references to 'Brightwater recruitment - Ireland's leading recruitment consultancy', and the show's only just got started. If I'm ever as successful as Bill Cullen I'd never be hawking stuff like this as part of a TV show... (but maybe that's why I'm not as successful as Bill Cullen ).

Richard Dower

90210 = Dr. Pepper. i ranted about the product placement on the show a few months back, Heroes = Sprint....always pushing the phones and company.