Understanding Product Placement
Jonathan Gladwin, director at product placement company Prop.ag.anda UK, discusses the next phase of product placement in the UK and how it can be used to best effect.
Research has proven that audiences want real brands in their programmes and following the ratification of Television without Frontiers by the EU, paid for product placement will be arriving on screen within the next 18 months.
Product placement is a growing area for all companies and organisations. In the last five years marketing teams have really started to take notice and product placement has become a staple of the marketing strategy – rather than a sporadic blip in the communications mix.
With discussions due to start this summer regarding Product Placement 2.0, what strategies can companies currently adopt to ensure that when regulation change occurs, they are positioned to achieve the best placements?
It is essential to build relationships within the production industry. Using an established, dedicated placement agency will help this process. The staff will already have excellent knowledge, contacts, and access. They will be able to talk directly to decision makers on productions, understand their needs and present the business in a way that will appeal to them.
Spend time with the productions. Whether directly or through a PP agency, visit sets and engage with the production team. Offers of help – whether this is supplying product for the production office, technical support, or contacts – will be generally well received. Having senior producers onside will help the profile a company and will stand a company in good stead in the future.
PP is a product heavy business and to achieve the best placements a good level of dedicated stock is required. A willingness to support productions by investing in products will improve the standing of the company within the production industry. The production industry is small, and information is readily exchanged about which companies are supportive and which are not.
Investigate production companies in terms of which make the best content for your audience, and which are making the best shows. Establishing links with these companies now by lending support and knowledge will allow better access later.
Having good links with the propmen is vital to attaining the best placement opportunities. Talking to them directly and ensuring they receive goods and products when they require them will ensure that they think of the company when there is a placement opportunity. Equally, if they are working on a show which fulfils the brief they are best positioned to get a product on to the set.
Currently programmes on digital channels and online dramas offer an excellent insight into how paid for placement deals may happen in the future. There are opportunities now to work directly with production companies and channels, integrating products into the action in a creative and relevant way.