Sir, Your piece on paid-for product placement was spot on from a brand perspective but overlooked a critical element of the product placement pact: viewer reaction ('Brands get their big TV break', The Grocer, 26 February).
Viewer buy-in is essential if brands are to get the most out of their investment in paid-for placement in programming. In the run up to Monday's lifting of the ban on products paying to appear in TV shows, speculation leaned towards viewer hostility to the practice.
But qualitative research we've carried out on behalf of Channel 4, working with David Charlesworth's sponsorship and insight team, shows viewers aren't naive. They are aware that they've been exposed to product placement in American films and shows since the 1990s. They also see it as the next step on from traditional advertising and recognise that it has the potential to enhance content credibility, assuming that executions are as 'natural' as possible in terms of how they fit with the programme.
As long as it is done responsibly, isn't too overt, and doesn't lead content, viewers predominantly welcome it as an advertising medium; some even hope the extra revenue generated from it will be reinvested to offer better and more varied programming.
For the many brand owners still undecided on paid-for placement, this insight may be helpful.
Jon Priest, CEO, SPA Future Thinking
Viewer buy-in is essential if brands are to get the most out of their investment in paid-for placement in programming. In the run up to Monday's lifting of the ban on products paying to appear in TV shows, speculation leaned towards viewer hostility to the practice.
But qualitative research we've carried out on behalf of Channel 4, working with David Charlesworth's sponsorship and insight team, shows viewers aren't naive. They are aware that they've been exposed to product placement in American films and shows since the 1990s. They also see it as the next step on from traditional advertising and recognise that it has the potential to enhance content credibility, assuming that executions are as 'natural' as possible in terms of how they fit with the programme.
As long as it is done responsibly, isn't too overt, and doesn't lead content, viewers predominantly welcome it as an advertising medium; some even hope the extra revenue generated from it will be reinvested to offer better and more varied programming.
For the many brand owners still undecided on paid-for placement, this insight may be helpful.
Jon Priest, CEO, SPA Future Thinking
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