TV Product Placements
Product Placement on E.T. Show Hiked Sales of Reese's Pieces 80%
Viewers would be surprised at some of the products and services being weaved into their favorite TV shows and movies. The inspiration goes back to Clark Gable and E.T
Many people say that the inspiration for today’s multi-billon dollar product placement business goes back to 1934. That’s when Clark Gable removed his shirt and revealed his bare chest in "It Happened One Night." Undershirt sales then plummeted, showing how film could affect business.
The product placement business is so huge now that we no longer know when we’re being hustled. See TV Product Placements.
A celebrated placement was made in the 1982 movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. According to iTVX, a product placement company, sales of Reese’s Pieces rose 80%.after E.T. handled the candy in that film.
Since then companies have spent billions quietly weaving their products into our favorite shows.
According to howstuffworks.com, these shows have been, or were, committed to using only these cars.
- Miami Vice—Ferrari Testarossa;
- Hardcastle & McCormick—DeLorean Coyote;
- Charlie’s Angles—Ford Mustang Cobra;
- 24—Ford Expedition;
- Magnum P.I.—Ferrari 308I
Ever noticed the red Coca Cola cups sitting in front of the judges on American Idol? Classic product placement.
Monkey Junction Entertainment says it has placed products for Clabber Girl baking powder, Orkin vacuum cleaners, Hammerhead Kayaks and Colorado Boomerangs.
Eclipse Worldwide’s website shows examples of products that the agency has placed on the shows Shark, Brothers and Sisters, CSI Miami, 24, NCIS and 2 1/2 Men. The products include communications and computer equipment such as sound stations, computer drives, quickcams, USB drives, keyboards and voice stations.
These are expensive, high-tech items which would normally be marketed to sophisticated buyers, people who are not likely to be moved by a brief exposure of a product inside a television show. But apparently the marketers like the results.
Having watched some of those shows, we can say that the product placements were non-intrusive and non-bothersome. In fact, we didn’t notice them.
