The article "That's Advertainment" by Veronica Majerol from Upfront Magazine is about the increase in product placement in many types of media. From television series to music videos, product placement has become more common. In the case of music videos, it may be because it is more profitable to have advertisers pay to feature in a video than to promote it. In the eighth paragraph, Corie Wright from Free Press, an organization to educate consumers about media, says, "Typically, when people view a commercial, they employ a veil of skepticism." In movies and television shows, advertisers have realized that it is easier to shape viewers opinions of a product without them even noticing. Most people don't mind product placement, but it is advised to remember that companies are trying to sell their products.
I think that Veronica Majerol is pretty unbiased in the article. She doesn't want to make the reader think it is bad or good, she just wants the reader to think about why a product is there. She wants the reader to consider who made the decision to include the product and their motives. Veronica Majerol wants the reader to feel shocked that product placement has risen so much recently. She tries to surprise the reader by using examples of borderline ridiculous product placement. For example, she says, "The 'Telephone' video prominently features at least half a dozen brands-some by Lady Gaga's artistic choice, some by payment..." This example of product placement is over the top and shocking, and it is a great example of the rise of product placement today.
I think that product placement in television is fine in moderation. However, I think product placement in music videos is not okay unless the product is in the song lyrics and the placement is subtle. Music is about self expression, not advertising. Advertising has almost always been a part of the television experience, so I do not feel as strongly about product placement on TV as I do about product placement in music videos. Overall, I don't mind product placement that much, but when it is so obnoxious and in your face that it makes me uncomfortable, it shouldn't be happening.
In conclusion, product placement is relatively harmless until it goes too far. What do you think is the point where product placement starts to ruin your media experience?
I believe product placement ruins my media experience when it's in a movie I specifically paid to watch in theaters. I paid the movie theater to watch the movie, they paid the movie makers to play it in their theater, so why does the movie it self need to contain ads. Also most often it isn't even subtle. What I have noticed is that there needs to be a couple products throughout the movie. most often its three. For Instance: first scene of the movie, Coke billboard in the background. 5th or 6th scene, someone drinking coke. 8th or 9th scene, someone sits down at a table with a coke bottle and pushes it aside. Ads are everywhere.
ReplyDeleteGreat Post! I agree with you and Chase, it is one thing to see ads in the TV commercials and in magazines; there will always be ads there, but i think that when there are ads in the actual movies and music videos, it feels kind of fake- you want to see the artist performing, not them getting paid to promote some product. there are already tons of billboards and pages of ads, i think it is too far to put them in movies and videos.
ReplyDelete