Product Placements in TV Shows: Hits & a Miss
Image Courtesy: Product Placement Blog
Watching television is one of my favorite hobbies. Some people might ask me, why? I always answer that television allows you to become fully immersed in a world completely different from your own. It has characters who you can relate to and share laughs and tears with. Fictional or not, it’s a beautiful escape from reality and an entertaining one at that.
As an avid TV watcher who also happens to be an advertising major, I’ve been more cognizant of product placements within the shows I watch. Usually, I notice the product placements that provoke a negative emotion inside of me, like annoyance or disappointment. These placements seem forced and stand out when they shouldn’t, which disrupts the show’s plot. However, there have also been several times recently where product placements were so effective that I appreciated them, or so inconspicuous that I almost didn’t even observe them.
The key to product placement in TV shows is to ensure that it’s seamlessly integrated into the storyline or to make sure it’s hardly noticeable, so that all the viewer’s attention isn’t brought to the product. The last thing a show wants to do is generate negative feelings within the audience towards the brands or the series itself, when the whole point of including them was to subtly advertise the products.
Successful Product Placements
One of my favorite shows is Netflix’s Wednesday, released last November. I am a fan of this record-breaking series for its thrilling teenage murder-mystery aspect as well as Wednesday’s sharp wit and humorous one-liners. In addition to that, I had an immense appreciation for how the show effortlessly incorporated its product placements. Whether it was when Wednesday picked up a Taco Bell bag while investigating a crime scene, or when she found a blank copy of a desired book from Etsy at the town’s amusement park, Pilgrim World, these product placements worked so well because they fit in perfectly with the visuals of the scene along with the plot of the series. These brands weren’t featured for long, and hardly anything was said about them, yet both examples stood out in a positive way that was beneficial for both the show and the brands. Effective product placements like these raise awareness and popularity of brands which encourages people to visit websites and stores to make purchases. I admit, I did order Taco Bell after that episode, and I’m sure I wasn’t the only one!
Another demonstration of successful product placement is in Netflix’s 80s sci-fi horror series, Stranger Things. I was shocked to discover that there were over 140 product placements in the fourth season that was released last spring. This is an insanely high amount, especially for only nine episodes. There’s a big debate between fans about whether or not the product placement was too much. One fan wrote “My biggest issue with season 4 of Stranger Things is the product placement.” Although some fans expressed negative feelings about the product placements, I am on the side that favors them. Stranger Things includes these product placements in a way that doesn’t feel forced, and most of the time I don’t even notice that a product is being advertised. Also, since the show is the epitome of 80s nostalgia, most of the product placements feel important and necessary. These product placements add value to the story which fleshes out the 80s vibe and makes the world seem more realistic. I mean, what would an 80s show be without classic older products like Lacoste clothing, Coca-Cola, and vintage cassette players?
Unsuccessful Product Placements
Lastly, I wanted to end this article by discussing an example of product placement that was unsuccessful and poorly executed. Season 3 of Emily in Paris was released last December and I, along with other fans of the show, found the product placements to be very irritating. In episode one, the main character pitches McDonalds as a client to her marketing firm that usually works with luxury brands. This was strange on its own, but I began to feel like the whole premise of the episode was centered around advertising McDonalds. One fan wrote “the product placement in emily in paris is so not subtle im crying,” and they couldn’t have said it any better.
Product placements can be good when they are done correctly. A stronger connection can be made between a brand and the audience through television, which has positive results since the consumers don’t feel like they are being directly marketed to. After they’re exposed to brands, people are likely to seek out more information on their own which boosts brand recognition and sales. Otherwise, product placements can be done poorly and annoy the fans to the point of posting their thoughts to social media and finding a community of other fans to engage in the negative commentary.
For future product placements to be successful, they need to be incorporated in a way that enhances the show’s world or is smoothly inserted into certain scenes. It’s really important that placements are creatively and strategically thought out to achieve that seamless effect. Product placements won’t work if they seem random or don’t fit in with the show’s personality and atmosphere. Shows must ensure that the products stand out just enough so that the brand is recognized and remembered without distracting the viewers from watching and enjoying the show. I have high hopes for the future of product placements, and I’m looking forward to watching them as more TV shows get released.
Alexis Rodriguez