Elaborate on product placement as one of the tools of the promotional mix.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers will vary. Product placement is the paid integration of branded products into movies, television, and other media. It exploded into big-screen prominence in 1982, when Reese's Pieces played a highly visible role in Steven Spielberg's blockbuster film E.T. Reese's Pieces sales shot up 65%. Over the years, product placement in movies has moved rapidly into the limelight.Product placement on TV has also catapulted into the mainstream in response to the growing prominence of digital video recorders (DVRs) such as TiVo.Product placement works best for marketers if the product seamlessly integrates into the show as a player rather than simply a prop. Media buyers often negotiate product placement deals as part of a package that includes regular ads, which reinforce the product that appeared in the program.Whether in TV or movies, product placement offers marketers huge sales potential in a credible environment, which may account for its huge growth rate. But product placement is risky-if your show is a dud, your placement is worthless. And the cost is high and growing, which only increases the financial risk. The benefits of product placement are tough to measure as well, especially for existing brands. But in the end, the only measure that really counts is consumer acceptance, which may disappear if product placement intrudes too much on the entertainment value of movies and TV.