There's no mistaking that James Bond was driving an Aston Martin
in his latest appearance on the big screen, and certainly that
didn't hurt the brand. But have consumers reached the point of
saturation with product placements? And how does that affect your
plans to get your product on the air or the big screen? According
to a new survey from Advertising Age, many consumers are concerned
about the blurring line between advertising and entertainment.
- 75 percent of U.S. consumers believe the "intrusion" of
advertising into TV programming and movies has increased over the
past year. - 62 percent of consumers surveyed found product placement in
such content distracting, but consumers ages 18 to 34 were less
condemning, with 46 percent saying they found product placements
entertaining.
Tactic: Work with marketing and advertising departments and
agencies to be up-to-speed on any promotional placements and to
ensure they are appropriate to your company's messages.
And, as always, honesty is key. Don't try to "fool" the
consumer. Acknowledging product placements will win you points with
savvy audiences.
Editor's Note: See next week's issue of PR NEWS for an in-depth
look at PR's role in product placement.