Product Placement in British Television Shows - Essay Example

The government has drawn the line on product exposure in children shows and the exposure of products such as alcohol, tobacco, or those food products considered unhealthy. ( Campbell Denis ‘TV product placement: Bradshaw bans nasties’).If we look at product placement through the marketing mix (4 P’s) perspective we can clearly see that this is a form of promotion, something that manufacturers might invest in as an alternative to advertising.If we analyze the efficacy of product placement using the tools of brand recognition and recall research indicates that brand recall and recognition were significantly improved with product placement activity.

However, research has generally been contradictory on whether it affects brand attitude change. These findings indicate that product placement could play a beneficial role in new product launches when achieving brand recognition is a key goal. ( Kaijansinkko Riku ‘Product Placement in Integrated marketing communications strategy’)Another interesting analysis of product placement indicates that it may be more effective than advertising because the consumers are not expecting this kind of stimuli when they are watching television or a film.

This ‘Von Restorrf’ effect however may be affected in the UK by the controversy that product placement has generated which will probably result in consumers expecting product placement. ( Kaijansinkko Riku ‘Product Placement in Integrated marketing communications strategy’)ImportanceThis issue is now very pertinent for discussion after have being approved very recently on the 9th of February 2010. Although it was being discussed last year it was still far from being approved (which puts a totally different perspective on things) when in March 2009 Minister Burnham expressed serious concerns about product placement and refused to lift the ban.

(2009 Duncan Gray ‘What planet is Burnham on to think product placement will harm society ) The issue is a significant one because although broadcasters have been lobbying for a while now to get the ban lifted many consumers are very unhappy believing that it will affect the quality of what the shows making them stilted and artificial. The marketing industry should seriously debate this issue and perhaps establish a set of guidelines on how product placement remains within ethical boundaries and does not offend consumers who can simply change the channel.