Advanced Television

Product placement will underwhelm

March 4, 2011

Product placement came to the UK this week, but research from YouGov suggests the appearance of branded goods in the nation’s TV shows and films for the first time is unlikely to excite audiences.

Over a third (36 per cent) of respondents say they do not know what product placement is. However, close to three quarters (73 per cent) report having noticed product placement in US TV shows and films before: 17 per cent of them “all the time”, 40 per cent “just occasionally”, and 16 per cent “rarely”.

There’s no welcome for UK product placement. Half of respondents think the change is neither good nor bad, while 23 per cent believe it’s a negative thing (7 per cent says it’s “very bad”), and a mere 14 per cent regard it as positive. Plus, of those who say they notice product placement all the time, 34 per cent think it’s a bad thing.

Consumers don’t expect product placement to have much of an impact either. 70 per cent of respondents believe that seeing a brand in a TV show or film will not change their perceptions of it.

30 per cent of respondents say ITV is the most appropriate channel for product placement, closely followed by Dave (29 per cent). Deemed least suitable are MTV and Discovery, with only 9 per cent and 8 per cent, respectively, in favour.

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