Media Reach’s views on ‘Product Placement’
Earlier this week, BizAsia.co.uk reported that Product placement will be allowed on TV programmes under new legislation announced by the Government.
Previously, it was against Ofcom regulations for broadcasters to feature obvious advertising through programmes. Furthermore channels were forbidden to make money from any sort of direct advertising of brands on TV shows.
We spoke to Javed Husain, director of one of the UK’s leading ethnic and multicultural advertising agencies about the new legislation and how this latest development will be received by the agency’s clients.
With Media Reach, one of the leading media agencies in the UK, how will you benefit from product placement being allowed on UK TV?
We believe this will give us a good playing card to lure less active clients and hesitant ones, those eager to get their brands on TV but believe their ad can pass unnoticed due to the amount of TV ad clutter, into adopting TV as part of the media mix.
Similarly, this will also provide us with more room for creativity and innovation. It is a good chance to better present and integrate the brand into a real context thus brings it closer to people. This is for us a chance to induce behavioral change by helping the brand create the desired association with consumers and affinity as a result of being part of the action and interaction with characters.
For a media agency of your magnitude, do you think product placement was required in the UK? Were there not other streams of revenue broadcasters were making money from?
From advertising point of view, yes it was very required given it was regulated and structured. The fast changing world we live in with all the vast array of technology available is constantly affecting the media landscape drastically. That has made the task of getting a brand visible out there is next to impossible. We, media people, are constantly challenged to extend the boundaries and find ways to break through in order to achieve the desired results. So many barriers we face:
a) with the technological devices like the DVR, and the new trend of watching programs on the internet like on youtube.com and others, people tend to miss the ads.
b) too many TV channels available and too many brands being advertised ; a matter that pushes the zapping effect even more
c)Too much clutter all around which creates more noise as a result.
It is vital that we capitalize on movies, reality TV shows and strong programmes since they still have large appeal amongst wide array of audiences. Hence allowing product placement is a breather to us. Now we get the chance to create the right exposure and full integration-of product into reality content which can not be missed; a matter if done properly will serve the plot and will not come at the expense of having interesting programme, shows etc.
Yes this could serve as a new revenue-generating realm for broadcasters but we would like to believe that media agencies and advertisers are all partners in bringing in new ways to talk the audience. At the end of the day, if done creatively that will mean more revenues to all parties involved.
How do you think Asian TV channels deal with product placements on their shows? Blatant advertising during programme air-time will still not be permitted.
I think the rules for product placement are almost similar all across. Key things need to be taken into consideration;
1) How well integrated the product in the narrative is. As long as the product is not forced or TOO obvious.
2) Knowing the audience and what works and does not work with them which will automatically determine the type of products that will be allowed to be part of the show..in other words, and as part of the evaluation process; understanding the audiences cultures and values and the nature and positioning of the products simultaneously.
Do you think similar rules should be followed on Asian radio?
Radio is a different ball game…the lack of visual element and narrative makes it difficult for a product or a brand to fit in smoothly without coming across as being forced in a cheap way. So unless it is a tailor made show or a sponsored programme, a lot of factors should be looked at before taking a decision on whether or to accept product placement.
Do you think your clients and other advertisers openly welcome product placement on UK TV?
We believe they do, all advertisers care first and foremost about their brands; how to starify them and keep them on top of the game. They as well are very much aware of all the challenges faced in such cluttered market making the audience harder to reach which in result keep them on the look out to get introduced to new ways that would provide their brands with utmost visibility and exposure.
