Archive for April, 2005

IN THE WORLD OF TELEVISION, as in the real world, some products are unlabeled and exhibit more ‘naturalness’ simply because they lack a prominent brand mark. Far from being “Brand X” or “generic” products, however, these brands (such as electronics and furniture) tend towards subtlety in terms of on-product labeling. As a result, their distinctive functions or design features tend to differentiate and elevate them above simple set-dressing, without a highly visible brand name. In Monday’s MediaPost, one of the Featured Product Placements of the Week was a placement for > Thomasville Furniture.

What Research Tells Us From viewer research, we know that TV watching is not necessarily linear or continuous. Our lives are filled with distractions that tend to break our concentration and interrupt our awareness. In cases like Thomasville Furniture, where brands are not obviously identified during the continuity phase of the placement, there is a danger that viewers will miss the brand identification. Thus, the association of the product and the brand is weakened or destroyed. It would be like missing the opening act of a play or musical. While you could still understand (and perhaps even enjoy) the show to some degree, a large part of its impact and meaning would be lost.

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