Why Does That Have To Be Here?

Product Placement in film or TV something I have a love-hate relationship with. It makes me feel like Big Brother is out there controlling what I like or want to buy. And I don't want to feel like 1984 is real. In a free world, humans should be able to buy and like whatever they darn-tootin-want-to. It shouldn't be a forced phenomenon. This is why I have an issue with Product Placement. It makes me feel like whether I want to buy something or not, I'm conned into liking the product or buying the product because I can't get the image of it being associated with the movie franchise or the actor/actress out of my head! I don't like feeling "conned." This is why I am not a fan of subliminal messages, but that's a subject for another blog.

Chapter 5 "It's a Branded New World.." in Storytelling in the Media Convergence Age mentions that product placement is "a century old phenomenon." But what really struck me in the chapter was this line reading: " The story and the setting require certain products anyway, but in the case of product placement, you simply make them more visible; you stress the logo, display the features.." After this read that sentence, I thought of all of the times I've seen brands/logos in films, and it made me realize, for the first time, that the reason the products are there in the first place is because as humans we live with products! Of course, a paper cup shouldn't have to be advertised as a dixie cup, or a solo cup, but I suppose having everything branded makes things more realistic. After all, you go to your local grocery store and you buy X Brand Cookies, so if you see the characters in your favorite TV show or movie are eating X Brand Cookies, you feel at one with the character. You have one of those, "hey, she's just like me" moments, and I suppose that unwittingly makes the viewer sympathize with that character's circumstance. It also effects the rhetorical value. If the mean character in movie is wearing a shirt from a store you shop at, or maybe even a shirt you own, and you see them behave a certain way in a movie or a TV show are you suddenly going to associate yourself with that character the next time you wear that shirt? The next time you drink X Brand juice are you going to think of the characters in your favorite TV show or movie?

It's no coincidence Jerry is drinking Tropicana or the cereal boxes are what they are.

I really hate product placement in music videos. That's the cheesiest. It makes the music feel less authentic because somehow in music videos product placement really comes off as advertising, whereas on TV or in movies it's more subtle. I wonder if I'm the only one who feels this way.

Musicians should stick to performance music videos

But getting back to the point in Chapter 5. "The story and setting require certain products." This sentence just bothers me! I feel like it's so true, but yet, why do we have to make everything about advertising, and yet, advertising makes everything more realistic, which in turn makes the viewer sympathize more with the character's circumstance.

"The story and setting require certain products." I think the reason this sentence annoys me is because it's the idea of products. Why does a story need products within in it? The products are just there. They aren't doing anything to the rhetorical value of the story except making the character's more realistic, and more like us, but they aren't furthering or helping the rhetorical value. Or are they? I don't know. It's a tough call.