Virtual Product Placement

The same technology that brought us virtual first-down stripe markers during television football broadcasts is now becoming more prevalent in prime-time television with virtual product placement.

Yep, that bag of potato chips you see on-screen may not have been there when the scene was originally shot in the studio but inserted during post-production wizardry. Virtual product placement is ”… a process that uses computer graphics and digital editing to put products like potato chips, soda and shopping bags into television programs after the shows are filmed or taped.”

Get hip to the latest goings-on in the world of virtual product placement from this worthwhile NY Times article (reg. req’d).

My take? Well, the product placement game is a $3.5B+ business and Nielsen has begun efforts to measure the effectiveness of product placements in stimulating customer purchase. I reckon virtual product placement brings a different dimension to the meaningful marketing adage of “what gets measured, gets manufactured.” And I’m not much into manufactured marketing.

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NOTE | also seen on the Agenda INC blog

Comments

[Mary Schmidt]

My kneejerk reaction - This is just wrong! That said, I can sympathize with advertising/marketing firms that are trying desperately to deal with the rapidly changing nature of communications and marketing. But, c'mon - this could be a major distraction to the viewer who wants to concentrate on the story and ultimately actually hurt more than help.

I also have doubts as to how much product placement of any type does for companies' bottom line. ("Wow! Russell Crowe is drinking Coke Zero - I'm dashing to the store RIGHT now to buy some!")

[Patrick]

I think the whole idea is pretty cool. I noticed several product placements over the holiday, when I had time to enjoy some TV.

Lays potato chips, pepsi, Corona, and Trident Toothpaste.

Now, I don't eat Lays, I prefer juice or water over soda, a Heineken over a Corona, and buy the cheapest toothpaste, so I don't know how effective those placements would be to get me to buy them, but I did remember them...isn't that half the battle, product awareness?

[Igor]

Great Blog! Check out my blog

http://magneticalliance.blogspot.com/

we talk about the good and bad of product placement in television, film, and video games.