Product Placement – How effective is it?
You’re watching the latest blockbuster movie featuring Brad Pitt as the lead role. One scene in the movie sees Mr. Pitt grabbing a Pepsi from his refrigerator and drinking it. You may not notice it or give it much thought, and the movie will go on as if nothing has happened. Fact of the matter is, Pepsi Co. have just pulled a very costly and smart marketing stunt on you.
What Is Product Placement?
Product placement is a marketing strategy in which branded products appear in featured movies or TV series. The main reason why product placement is so successful is the simple fact that it’s very subtle and somewhat deceiving. Our conscious mind might not pick it up but our subconscious will. The best part about it is that you’re getting product placement and celebrity endorsement both at once. One must note that, obvious/failed product placement has a tendency to annoy viewers and backfire.
When Was Product Placement Used In The Past?
Throughout history, we have seen many businesses use this endorsement technique delicately and intelligently. The Matrix featured the Nokia 8120 throughout the entire movie, especially by the main character, Neo, which was played by Keanu Reeves. The phone, at the time, became cool and a must-have. The yellow, custom made Chevrolet Camaro was the main talking point in The Transformers and had every car fanatic jaw-dropped. Needless to say, after being featured in the movie, Camaros’ sales skyrocketed. Another success story would be Tom Hank’s best friend in Castaway. After being stuck in an island, Chuck, played by Mr. Hanks befriends a volleyball branded Wilson. He humanized the ball and called it “Wilson” repetitively throughout the entire movie, giving the sports brand huge exposure. The list goes on and on. The latest, however, was at the Emmy Awards when Elene Degeneres took the most famous, shared and retweeted selfie ever so far, captured by the Samsung Note 3. Truth is, the event was sponsored by Samsung, and this “spontaneous selfie” wasn’t totally unplanned.
People don’t like being sold to and that’s a fact. Smart businesses are looking for new, better and more creative ways to showcase their products and services to their target audience. For Product placement to be effective, you first need to have an amazing video. At wezank, creating unforgettable videos is exactly what we do. Contact us today and reach out to your audience in a new, creative and innovative way.