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Morning News Anchors Drink McDonald's Coffee (For Cash)
Each morning news anchors on Fox's Las Vegas affiliate sit in front of very visible McDonald's iced coffee cups, part of a product-placement deal. The fast-food chain sponsors the two-hour morning news-and-lifestyle segment, but instead of commercial breaks, the advertisement happens during the news.
Since advertisement dollars already influence networks, I think the product-placement deal raises some old conflict of interest concerns.
Do You Think Product Integration Should Stop Trying to Be So Sneaky?
The Writers Guild of America is sick of having to write storylines in TV shows solely to feature a product or brand, so much so that the group is bringing the issue to the FCC. The WGA is hoping to make it so that any kind of advertisement is blatantly disclosed, and writers don't have to sneakily work products into a plotline where they maybe don't make sense.
geeksugar has questioned the product integration on Gossip Girl, noting that the show is clearly required to use Verizon products, but the gadgets used by the characters don't make sense for their characters.
30 Rock's Product Placement: Brilliant or Annoying?
One of my favorite things about 30 Rock is the sly way the show savages corporate culture — from Jack Donaghy's title (Vice President of East Coast Television and Microwave Oven Programming) to the hilarious Greenzo episode that poked fun at NBC's Green is Universal initiative. But I'm conflicted about the show's increasingly blatant product placement. I initially thought the gags were hilarious — remember the scene in the "Jack-Tor" episode where the writers complained about having to do product placement, all the while plugging Snapple?
David Lynch On Product Placement In Films
David Lynch's films may be long and inscrutable (Inland Empire was over three hours long) but his answers to obvious questions are short and sweet. (Well, not so sweet here.)
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How Do You Feel About Product Placement in Movies and TV Shows?
Acuvue contacts and CoverGirl makeup in Whip It!, CoverGirl again, Wal-Mart, Seventeen, and a whole mess of other stuff on ANTM — product placement within films and television shows seems like it's definitely here to stay. I know ads are necessary to fund our entertainment, but it seems like inserting product usage and implicit endorsements into the program without telling viewers is a little weird. I think endorsement laws are generally a good thing — they protect consumers, and they keep the industry a little bit more on the level.
Should Product Placement Be Disclosed to Viewers?
I tend to just roll my eyes when I see blatant product placement on TV, like The New York Times' example of Simon, Paula, and Randy sipping on Cokes during episodes of American Idol. But the Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.) is a bit more sensitive about the issue and is wondering if networks should be required to explicitly disclose product placement.
F.C.C.
Product Placement Making Its Way Onto TV News Sets
We might be used to the ever-present Coke cups in front of Simon and Paula during American Idol, but this type of product placement has, until now, been absent on TV news sets. A few weeks ago, the morning anchors at Las Vegas KVVU started delivering news and lifestyle information with cups of McDonald's iced coffee in front of them.
The station's news director indicated that the cups would be removed if a negative report of McDonald's surfaced.
Couples Retreat: Not Exactly a Relaxing Getaway
Everyone loves a vacation, right? Beautiful scenery, tropical drinks, fun in the sun. Add a few of your closest friends and you could have the trip of a lifetime — or a romantic getaway gone horribly awry.
The Invention of Lying: Sweet, but Unsteady
In his Hollywood directorial debut, Ricky Gervais takes us to an alternate universe where honesty makes the world go round. It's not just that lie-telling is an impossibility; everyone can't help but speak their minds at all times, no matter how personal, embarrassing, or brutal their innermost thoughts may be. The premise of The Invention of Lying is rife for comedy, but the film is also a commentary on religion and has its sad moments as well.
ANTM Beauty Quiz: "Take My Photo, Tyra!"
Last night's episode was all about heavy product placement. And looking good while wearing a scarf over your face, apparently. Though I found its events slightly more engaging than last week's snoozefest, it's hard to care about a group of girls running around a big-box store — especially when we've seen this challenge over and over.
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