Product Placement

If you didn't already know, product placement is a fancy term that refers to ever so cleverly hiding advertisements in movies and television without being too obvious about it. The thing is that it is a questionable practice that has become all too commonplace and we, the consumer, often do not even notice when it is happening. I, being ever vigilant, am always on the prowl. When the doctors on Scrubs hold out their "coffee bucks" drinks, I know what they are doing. In movies there are products in kitchens, a car brand is mentioned, or less obvious are the clothes the actors wear. There are even websites designed for online shopping where you can browse through TV shows and purchase anything in the scenes. I am not trying to be funny. This is true.


The ugly truth is that the companies pay huge amounts to be in these places. They are effective when done correctly, not too complementary when done wrong. One of the most famous blunders in product placement was in the movie, ET. The alien was lured into the house using Reese's Pieces not M&Ms. That was only because M&Ms refused to pay the fee charged by the movie production. That was famous! It became legendary! "Did you hear about Reese's Pieces? M&M was really stupid to not pay for that!" For years if you mentioned ET you were almost guaranteed to hear about the M&M mistake.



Now, companies are looking for anybody to mention their product. If a talk show host mentions that he likes Blue Diamond barbecue flavored almonds it is almost guaranteed he will receive several cases shipped to his house. It was not too long ago that I heard about a celebrity that mentioned a certain product and it was sold out the very next day. Can you imagine the possibility for corruption?



I have decided, that I (with this forum) will be entirely ethical and will not reduce myself to this borderline practice. Perhaps poorer but still, I will sleep soundly at night. I will sleep like the people in their DISNEY ROUND THE WORLD CRUISES. I hear those LUXURY CABINS come complete with TEMPURPEDIC MATTRESSES so of course they sleep well. In fact as I look at what should be a ROLEX watch, I see it is almost time to turn off my SONY television and hit the hay. I hope I have a more restful night than I did last night. I dreamed that my new DODGE RAM CREW CAB TURBO DIESEL was pulling a trailer carrying my new MERCEDES, PORSCHE, and CORVETTE to my new 3200 SQUARE FOOT KAUFMANN AND BROAD home. I am so comforted that I have chosen to take the high road...I am told that the high road is currently designed to be able to accommodate 35 FOOT NEWMAR CLASS A MOTOR HOMES.



Keep your fingers crossed!