When Tom Cruise wore Ray-Ban brand sunglasses as part of his iconic aviator outfit in the 1986 hit film “Top Gun,” Ray-Bans Sunglasses sales increased by 40 percent within seven months of its premiere. Marketed product placement still remains a common aspect of nearly all high-budget films and tv-shows. Unlike straight-forward commercials, product placement is subtly integrated into this media type. Through payment or trade, brands will partner with the production company in exchange for their products to be used and shown on screen. Today, the most commonly seen products tend to be cars, makeup, alcohol, or tech brands; like Apple or Samsung.
“In the new Mean Girls movie. I saw that there were a bunch of E.L.F. products placed,” Berkeley High School sophomore Sofia Dodge said, “It really just made me focus on the product rather than actual storytelling and I think that’s kind of the point.”
As shown in the Ray-Ban example, or when Reeses Pieces’ popularity skyrocketed after they were advertised in Steven Spielberg’s 1982 hit film E.T., product placement has proven to be a successful way to advertise and sell products. In fact, in a 2023 study done by the entertainment and AI company BENlabs, it was discovered that around 75 percent of viewers searched up a product after seeing it on TV. Consequently, 57 percent of those people ended up purchasing a product from that brand.
What seems to make product placement so successful is the emotional aspect that the given product creates with the viewer. By cleanly integrating sponsored products into a character or storyline, specifically ones that have high approval ratings, it subconsciously creates a positive connection between the consumer and the brand.
“If there’s a really good TV show or movie and people wanna be like the characters from that TV show, then they’ll want to get the products or the clothes they’re wearing,” BHS freshman Sophia Nachman said.
This technique is especially productive when a brand focuses on advertising to a targeted audience. This includes the presumption that makeup or clothing brands are more likely to pay for product placements in a teenage rom-com rather than more cinematic films.
There is a fine line in advertising when the products become too frequent and the media begins to feel heavily promoted. What makes product placement successful is that they do not feel like commercials, which are generally not as well received as product placement. In a 2021 study by Sharethrough, journalists discovered that over 50 percent of viewers don’t watch commercials on TV. People dislike watching ads due to the feeling of irrelevance, and the interruption of the chosen content.
“I enjoy funny commercials, but they can get a little bit annoying, especially if it’s not something that applies to me,” BHS sophomore Aliya Schorr said. When product placement becomes too obvious in television, it can begin to affect the quality and credibility of the film. It can be distracting, and therefore viewers often lose interest in the product and the media.
Product placement has been a relevant part of advertising since the 1920s, and it is proven to work; whether consciously or subconsciously. Nevertheless, it’s important for brands to remember how to advertise their product, without seemingly shoving their merchandise into viewers’ faces.