According to the New York Times, Volkswagen has paid $200 million for a multi-year product placement deal for its vehicle in NBC/Universal TV and film properties. Many have said this is another sign of the coming of age of product placement. I think it's a sign of the world gone mad. Do they really think they're going to sell vehicles through association with Ben Stiller and Will and Grace? Sure, product placement can play a role, but like all other elements of the brand mix, it's one part of a bigger picture. And I don't think that part is worth that much. Drivers Wanted? More like, brains wanted.
I think you're right. 200MM for product placement? I'd like to see a paper done which makes sense out of break through creative ideas from a historical perspective. It's my belief that people's emotional reactions have been similiar to certain stimuli throught history. To study creativity and it's role in shaping opinion historically, gives us information that can be used by clients to cover their asses instead of copy testing and focus groups. Documenting reaction to creative ideas, pulling out that which is shared, and then making predictions upon that information can be used more effectively than spending 200MM on product placement. Or...I could be wrong.
Posted by: Pete Gagliardi | January 21, 2005 at 12:42 PM
Consider this. At one time, advertisers were guaranteed category exclusivity in each spot pod. so if you were a car nameplate and they slotted in another car spot in your pod, you got a make good. Now it is not uncommon to see three and even four automotive spots in a row. All using the same over cranked base tracks, the same swish pan photography, the same blunt teardrop styling, shot on the same stretch of ( insert one) beach road, mountain drive, deserted city street. Once you get past the Beetle, every other VW looks like every other Nissan of Toyota. Exacty who should have their brains examined? The car companies left in the clutter to be TiVO'd or ignored for a potty break? Or the guys who got the eyeballs all to themselves? Crazy? Like a fox.
Harry Webber
MadisonAveNew.com
Posted by: Harry Webber | January 25, 2005 at 04:11 AM
Moving off the :30 spot is a must these days. As Harry says, the advertisers are facing a lot of clutter and will be, in the near future completely TiVO'd (I like this verb).
So some move to telling a story on the web (see: www.bmwfilms.com) or to product placement. And, of course, other channels, such as direct marketing. I have noticed that quite a few budgets shift there.
I have no idea for how long this deal is set up for, but if you calculate media spendings for :30 spots against probably (in total) minute-long exposures in films or television series, I guess this is a rather good deal. And it's not interrupting the story, instead it's part of it...
Posted by: the cod | February 05, 2005 at 01:54 PM
I have expanded a little on this topic at http://jungleweb.blogspot.com/2005/02/ultimately-its-going-to-be-about.html, if you're interested to discuss...
Posted by: the cod | February 06, 2005 at 04:10 PM