Cowley, E. And Barron, C. When Product

¶ … Cowley, E. And Barron, C. "When Product Placement Goes Wrong: The Effects of Program Liking and Placement Prominence." Journal of Advertising, Vol. 37, "

© 2008 American Academy of Advertising.

This research article focused on the manner in which advertisements in the form of product placement in entertainment media (primarily movies and television) can be counterproductive. Specifically, the project set out to analyze the changes in attitudes toward a product among entertainment consumers as function of different types of product placement. The research concluded that some types of media consumers are more likely than others to respond positively to certain product placement strategies while other types of media consumers are actually more likely to react negatively and reduce their affinity for products (and brand images) advertised in this way. The results are obviously important to the advertising industry and to product manufacturers who prefer to maintain the most favorable public image possible for their firms and for their products.

Experimental Hypotheses

The researchers proposed three experimental hypotheses: (1) That higher-in-program-liking (HPL) viewers would remember product placement in programs more than lower-in-program-liking (LPL) viewers (2) That HPL viewers exposed to product placements would report lower brand attitudes for those products than HPL viewers who were not exposed to product placements for those products (or brands); and (3) That any negative reaction to prominent product placements will be greater among HPL viewers than among LPL viewers.

Methodology

The method employed by the researchers consisted of exposing different groups of television viewers to episodes of Seinfeld specifically chosen because a commercial product (such as Pantene shampoo, M&M candy, Ruffles potato chips, and Diet Coke) were featured in different degrees of prominence. The researchers surveyed the participants prior to the trials for their degree of affinity for the Seinfeld series as well as for their relative sentiments and perceptions of value in connection with the products featured in the episodes. Various sham techniques involving indirect solicitation of that information and otherwise intended to disguise the purpose and subject being investigated were used.

Discussion and Analysis

The data validated all three hypotheses: HPL viewers were more aware of product placement than were LPL viewers; HPL viewers exposed to product placement held lower regard for the brands involved in prominent product placement than LPL viewers; and prominent product placement affected HPL viewer more negatively than LPL viewers. In general, the more that media consumers enjoy specific programs, the more aware they will be of product placements in those programs. Whereas media consumers who are casual watchers of those programs tend to notice product placements less and to respond more favorably to those products and brands afterwards, media consumers who enjoy specific programs (and presumably, other forms of entertainment media) the most are more aware of product placement and more likely to respond negatively toward those products and brands.