TV Product Placement

Not all advertising on television is done during the commercial break, much is also done during the actual program.  In AMC's hit series The Walking Dead, a new Hyundai Tucson is often the vehicle of choice when leaving base to get supplies.  The camera often gives the vehicle a good look before the crew takes off in it.  Another great example of TV product placement occurs in NBC's The Office.  The office is often decorated with goods from Staples in early seasons.  In one episode Kevin, a large, slow working man, shows off a Staples Mailmate shredder.  He shows the power of this shredder to get the job done.  He even makes a "salad" with this shredder, as shown in the link below.

The Office Staples Mailmate Product Placement

AT&T was the brand with the most TV product placements in 2009 but many other brands were seen plenty such as Coca-cola who had 319 appearances and Ford who had 251 appearances.  Some shows are particularly willing to allow product placement.  The top shows with product placement include The Jay Leno Show with over 1,000 product placements in 2009, The Biggest Loser with 704, and American Idol with 553 occurrences.  It seems that reality-based shows are most likely to feature product placement.

Pros and Cons

TV product placement can be a very successful way of showing off a product without audiences feeling they are trying to be manipulated or feeling they are having a product shoved down their throats.  TV product placements are also good because:

• Less viewers are watching commercials.  Many with DVR's simply fast forward through commercials.  TV product placement at least ensures an advertisers product will be seen, even if the viewer does not see it as an advertisement.  
• Products can be linked to peoples favorite characters.  People may see a product in a store, remember their favorite character uses it, and decide to try it for themselves.  

Of course there are drawbacks to investing in TV product placement such as:

• The advertisement is limited to viewers who are watching that particular episode of that particular program and actually watching at that particular part of the program.
• It is hard to measure the return on investment in such advertisements.

Interesting Facts

• TV product placement, sometimes referred to as "product integration", is a quickly growing medium.  According to Nielsen TV product placement grew 39% in 2008, a rate much higher than that of growth for regular TV commercials.  
• Many advertisers use a combination of TV product placement and regular commercials, even during one program.