Watch a movie or television show carefully and you will likely identify several familiar product brands. These products are not there by accident. In fact, companies pay millions of dollars for screen time. The Subaru WRX in Baby Driver, Krispy Kreme in Power Rangers, and IHOP in the Man of Steel are just the tip of the iceberg for product placement, an advertising practice that strategically uses branded products within entertainment to reach a particular target market.

With the inundation of advertising consumers encounter on everything from television to social networking sites, it is becoming easier for them to ignore display ads or skip over video ads. Product placement provides marketers with the opportunity to present products to viewers as part of the show or movie without appearing too intrusive. Additionally, with more and more viewing options like Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube in addition to cable, television viewers have become fragmented. 

Questions for Discussion

1. What are the strengths of product placement? The weaknesses

2. What challenges do advertisers face with product placement

3. How do you think product placement will evolve with new television viewing habits