WHAT IS PRODUCT PLACEMENT?
Product placement, also known as brand integration or product integration, is an entertainment marketing strategy in which brands are incorporated within films, television shows, music videos, or other entertainment content in order to reach consumers.
Branded integrations have become one of the most effective forms of marketing, which is why so many brands are looking for a product placement agency to cut through the advertising clutter. Ad avoidance is at all time highs with over 41% of viewers habitually skipping or avoiding television advertisements, Ad supported television is under threat. In addition, viewers prefer integrations over ads. A BENlabs Ipsos poll revealed that 73% of viewers stated that they found integrations less intrusive than ads. The combination of ad avoidance and ad annoyance has made product placement a critical staple in the marketing toolkit, and it might be just the marketing element to establish your brand relevance.
There is an art to placing brands in new movies and shows. Product placement only works if brands are incorporated authentically into the story, empowering the storyline and not disrupting it. You want your product (or service) shown in the best light in recognizable scenes. To do this, brands like yours work with a product placement agency to align with different story elements. You can align with distinct characters such as Ray-Bans on Tom Cruise in Top Gun or the Chevy Camaro as Bumblebee in Transformers. Brands cal also can operate as physical sets or locations such as the Gap in Stranger Things or Dunkin’ Donuts in Patriots Day. Most commonly they act as natural props like Xbox in Big Bang Theory or Reeses Pieces in ET that bring the world to life. Imagine establishing your brand as a culturally relevant icon that viewers can’t miss.