Have you ever wondered why you see adverts for certain products in some movies, or you might have seen but haven’t taken notice of it yet? For example in a particular scene in a movie, a woman tells the child to make sure she takes her Chivita Juice” to school. Do you even know what it is called when a product is advertised in a movie? Well, the good thing is that you are about to know now.
- The advertisement of a product in a movie is known as “Product placement”. Product placement is also known as embedded market and as defined by Wikipedia is a marketing technique where references to specific brands or products are incorporated into another work, such as a film or television program, with specific promotional intent. What this definition means in the context of this topic is that products that serve as props in movies or certain scenes in movies will serve as an advertising campaign for the company.
- I know you might want to ask if producers get paid for advertising certain products in their movies. Well, the companies may pay the producers in cash, goods, or services. When they are paid in services they will have access to free props from the company which might cost them a lot of money to obtain e.g. costumes, cars, electronic gadgets like phones, laptops etc.
Why and how is product placement carried out in the movie industry?
I went to the supermarket with a friend sometime, when we got to the detergent section she picked a particular detergent, and when I asked why she picked that type she replied with a smile on her face that the detergent was advertised on a movie.
Advertising through the media is the most powerful and persuasive tool that controls consumers around the world, so you can see why the movie industry is an effective tool for product placement. The names of the companies, eateries, accessories, and clothing shops are captured to let the viewers know where the scene was shot. The business names may also be put under the appreciation tag during the rolling of the closing credits ( this covers the question “how”)
Product placement in the movie industry is something that should be applauded, as both the producer will benefit either in cash or in service and the product will gain wide recognition.
