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| Plugging the gap in TV revenue | Plugging the gap in TV revenue |
| (1 day later) | |
| By Victoria King BBC News Hit show Mad Men features brands like Heineken and Cadillac | By Victoria King BBC News Hit show Mad Men features brands like Heineken and Cadillac |
| If your favourite character in Corrie plugs a particular beer, or a celebrity chef raves about their supermarket, would you be more likely to pick that pint or shop at that store? | If your favourite character in Corrie plugs a particular beer, or a celebrity chef raves about their supermarket, would you be more likely to pick that pint or shop at that store? |
| Advertisers think the answer is yes, but until now they haven't been able to exploit that fact because of the ban on television product placement in the UK. | Advertisers think the answer is yes, but until now they haven't been able to exploit that fact because of the ban on television product placement in the UK. |
| With the ban now set to be lifted for independent broadcasters, there is the possibility of a flood of plugs within top shows - not just between them as we're used to. | With the ban now set to be lifted for independent broadcasters, there is the possibility of a flood of plugs within top shows - not just between them as we're used to. |
| Rules currently ban the inclusion of, or reference to, a product or service within a programme in return for payment. | Rules currently ban the inclusion of, or reference to, a product or service within a programme in return for payment. |
| References are allowed "where their inclusion within the programme is justified editorially", and goods can appear if they are obtained from a company for free or at a reduced rate to lower the cost of production. | References are allowed "where their inclusion within the programme is justified editorially", and goods can appear if they are obtained from a company for free or at a reduced rate to lower the cost of production. |
| So it's not uncommon to see the make of car driven by the detectives in an ITV crime drama. | So it's not uncommon to see the make of car driven by the detectives in an ITV crime drama. |
| But when the contestants on Channel 4's Big Brother open a tin of beans, the labels must be covered. | But when the contestants on Channel 4's Big Brother open a tin of beans, the labels must be covered. |
| And Minty doesn't ask for a pint of Stella when he goes into the Queen Vic. | And Minty doesn't ask for a pint of Stella when he goes into the Queen Vic. |
| The 'in' thing | The 'in' thing |
| The rationale behind product placement is that if you see a certain item being used by a sexy person, wearing a great suit, driving a powerful car and living in a cool apartment, it follows that the product must be sexy, great, powerful and cool too. | The rationale behind product placement is that if you see a certain item being used by a sexy person, wearing a great suit, driving a powerful car and living in a cool apartment, it follows that the product must be sexy, great, powerful and cool too. |
| If Jack Bauer likes Cisco computer security, surely it must be good? | If Jack Bauer likes Cisco computer security, surely it must be good? |
| Ordinary people can get very attached to their television heroes, so if their favourite character in Friends drinks Budweiser then they will want to too, the theory goes. | Ordinary people can get very attached to their television heroes, so if their favourite character in Friends drinks Budweiser then they will want to too, the theory goes. |
| Cars, electronics and tobacco are particular favourites - after all they are easier to slip into most cult programmes than toilet cleaner. | Cars, electronics and tobacco are particular favourites - after all they are easier to slip into most cult programmes than toilet cleaner. |
| In the US, product placement is big business. | In the US, product placement is big business. |
| According to Nielsen Media Research, there were 117,976 individual placements across America's top 11 TV channels in the first three months of last year. | According to Nielsen Media Research, there were 117,976 individual placements across America's top 11 TV channels in the first three months of last year. |
| Four years ago - and there has been massive growth since then - the value of these TV plugs was put at $941m (£564m). | Four years ago - and there has been massive growth since then - the value of these TV plugs was put at $941m (£564m). |
| So, Simon Cowell and his fellow judges on American Idol drink from Coca-Cola cups - at a reported cost of $26m to the company - while some US newsreaders openly hold McDonald's coffee cups. | |
| Jack Bauer and his team praise Cisco computer security during episodes of 24 and the Desperate Housewives have openly parked their Buick cars on Wisteria Lane. | Jack Bauer and his team praise Cisco computer security during episodes of 24 and the Desperate Housewives have openly parked their Buick cars on Wisteria Lane. |
| Plugging happens elsewhere in the world, too. In Russian television show Dom-2, which is similar to Big Brother, participants frequently make reference to a particular product, after which the camera zooms in on said product. | |
| If it's done badly the viewers will switch off Steve Hewlett, former ITV executive | If it's done badly the viewers will switch off Steve Hewlett, former ITV executive |
| And even beyond just using certain items, some shows have crafted whole plots around a brand, such as Absolut Vodka in Sex and the City. | And even beyond just using certain items, some shows have crafted whole plots around a brand, such as Absolut Vodka in Sex and the City. |
| Hit US show Mad Men - now shown on the BBC - uses a similar strategy. Set in an advertising agency, it regularly focuses episodes on campaigns for real-life companies such as Smirnoff, Cadillac and US Airways. | Hit US show Mad Men - now shown on the BBC - uses a similar strategy. Set in an advertising agency, it regularly focuses episodes on campaigns for real-life companies such as Smirnoff, Cadillac and US Airways. |
| Some of these mentions at least are arranged by PR agencies, although not always paid for, but other firms such as Heineken have paid considerable sums for a favourable plug. | Some of these mentions at least are arranged by PR agencies, although not always paid for, but other firms such as Heineken have paid considerable sums for a favourable plug. |
| So just as 1960s Heineken managers go to the fictional Sterling Cooper for publicity, 21st Century bosses went to Mad Men creators AMC for a paid-for slot. | |
| When these programmes are shown on British television the product placement doesn't have to be eliminated - although it sometimes is. | |
| The BBC, therefore, screened Mad Men uncut, but when Simon Cowell takes a drink between damning judgements on American Idol the Coca-Cola name is blocked out. | |
| 'Ad-skipping' | 'Ad-skipping' |
| Beyond television, many Hollywood blockbusters now rely on money from product placements to fund production. | Beyond television, many Hollywood blockbusters now rely on money from product placements to fund production. |
| Casino Royale was part-funded by money from firms like Aston Martin | Casino Royale was part-funded by money from firms like Aston Martin |
| A fifth of the $150m it took to remake Casino Royale came from more than 20 companies, from Sony to Aston Martin, who paid to have their goods shown. | A fifth of the $150m it took to remake Casino Royale came from more than 20 companies, from Sony to Aston Martin, who paid to have their goods shown. |
| For the Will Smith film I, Robot, Audi paid huge sums to have its cars featured throughout and even created a brand new model for the movie. | For the Will Smith film I, Robot, Audi paid huge sums to have its cars featured throughout and even created a brand new model for the movie. |
| Media commentator and former ITV executive Steve Hewlett says the money from product placement could help broadcasters at a time when changing technology means fewer people watch conventional ad breaks. | Media commentator and former ITV executive Steve Hewlett says the money from product placement could help broadcasters at a time when changing technology means fewer people watch conventional ad breaks. |
| "As more people have Sky+ boxes, Virgin Plus, BT Vision, you can skip the adverts," he says. | "As more people have Sky+ boxes, Virgin Plus, BT Vision, you can skip the adverts," he says. |
| "One thing that this prevents is that ad skipping, because you can't skip through it without skipping through the programme." | "One thing that this prevents is that ad skipping, because you can't skip through it without skipping through the programme." |
| And he says critics who fear the impact of product placement on programme quality should not be afraid. | And he says critics who fear the impact of product placement on programme quality should not be afraid. |
| "If it's done badly the viewers will switch off," he said. "If drama directors and producers and writers handle this badly they will undermine their own product, so there is a sense in which this is self-correcting." | "If it's done badly the viewers will switch off," he said. "If drama directors and producers and writers handle this badly they will undermine their own product, so there is a sense in which this is self-correcting." |