Newsletter 017.
The History of Product Placement in TV and Movies.
Product placement is so embedded in TV shows and movies today that we don’t notice it anymore.
at all actually, it happens constantly.
from the beer people drink…
to the car the someone drives…
brands are absolutely everywhere on screen.
but how did we get here?
the history of product placement is as intertwined with the entertainment industry as the brands themselves are with peoples’ daily lives.
Product placement in films dates back to the earliest days of cinema, even before sound and colour were introduced.
as early as the 1890s, filmmakers were incorporating products into their films, though in an infinitely more subtle fashion compared to today’s standards.
one of the earliest examples comes from the Lumière brothers, who, in their 1896 film Wash Day in Switzerland, featured Lever Brothers’ Sunlight soap…
However, the concept really began to take off in the 1920s and 1930s as Hollywood continued to grow into a powerful industry.
with the rise of major studios and the inception of the concept of celebrities,
companies realized the potential of aligning their products with the glamorous world of film and television.
a great example from this era is Wings (1927, not the TV show), an epic war film that won the first-ever Academy Award for Best Picture.
the film featured a prominent scene involving Hershey’s chocolate bars, marking one of the first major product placements in a blockbuster film.
During Hollywood's Golden Age, in the 1940s and 1950s, product placement became more organized and strategic.
studios began to understand the value of showcasing products in their films, and brands started paying (a lot) for this exposure.
the practice was still quite subtle compared to modern standards, but it was undeniably present, even then.
One of the most famous examples from this era is It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), where products like National Geographic magazines and Coca-Cola are prominently displayed.
these placements were more than just props, they were carefully chosen to add authenticity to the scenes while also benefiting from the film’s broad audience reach.
In the 1950s, television began to play more of a significant role in product placement. as TV sets became household staples,
brands saw an opportunity to reach audiences directly in their homes.
shows like I Love Lucy and The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet featured various products within their storylines, often with the stars themselves endorsing the items in commercials that aired during the show.
As time went on, product placement became more sophisticated and, at times, also more aggressive and blatant.
the 1970s and 1980s saw the rise of blockbuster films, where brands could reach even larger audiences.
the iconic 1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a very prime example…
in one of the movie’s most memorable scenes, the alien E.T. is lured out of hiding with Reese’s Pieces candies.
this placement had a huge impact,
Reese’s Pieces saw a 65% increase in sales after the film’s initial release.
Another groundbreaking example from this era is the 1983 James Bond film Octopussy.
the movie featured extensive product placement, most notably with the character of Bond using a Seiko watch and driving a BMW.
the James Bond franchise would continue to be a major player in the world of product placement, with brands competing for the chance to be associated with the suave and sophisticated 007.
The 1990s took product placement to new heights (or lows, depending on your perspective).
with the advent of digital technology, and the increasing commercial pressures on filmmakers, placements became more frequent and sometimes more jarring.
Wayne’s World (1992) famously parodied this trend with an over-the-top scene in which the characters shamelessly promote products like Pizza Hut and Pepsi while mocking the concept of selling out.
As we entered the 2000s,
product placement continued to “evolve”.
the rise of digital streaming platforms, DVRs, and ad-blocking technology made traditional advertising less effective,
leading to an even greater emphasis on product placement.
with audiences more in control of what they watch and when they watch it, brands needed to find new ways to integrate their products into content seamlessly.
Reality TV became a hotbed for product placement.
shows like American Idol and Survivor often featured products as part of the storyline, whether through sponsored challenges or by having contestants use branded items on camera.
this form of placement was less intrusive and more organic, as it felt like a natural part of the show’s environment.
Movies also saw more integrated placements,
with brands playing a central role in the narrative.
Cast Away (2000) is a notable example, where the protagonist’s survival is closely tied to FedEx packages that wash ashore.
In recent years, the digital age has brought about a new wave of innovation in product placement.
one of the most interesting developments is the rise of virtual product placement, where brands are digitally inserted into scenes after filming is complete.
this technology allows for a high degree of customization, with different products being placed for different markets or even swapped out over time as brands change their marketing strategies.
Streaming platforms like Netflix and Amazon Prime have also embraced product placement, often in subtler ways than traditional TV.
in shows like Stranger Things, for example, period-appropriate brands like Coca-Cola and Eggo waffles are prominently featured,
adding to the authenticity of the setting while also boosting the brands involved.
Looking to the future, product placement is likely to become even more sophisticated, with the potential for personalized placements based on viewer data.
and as AI and machine learning continue to advance, brands may be able to tailor their placements to individual viewers, creating a more targeted and effective form of advertising.
The history of product placement in TV and movies is a testament to the ever-evolving relationship between entertainment and commerce.
while some see it as a necessary way to fund content creation, others view it as a distraction from storytelling, or at least somewhat organic storytelling.
regardless of where you stand, there’s really no denying that product placement is here to stay.
as audiences become savvier, and technology continues to advance, the ways in which brands integrate themselves into our entertainment will only become more creative—and perhaps, more subtle.
in theory anyways…
Whether we notice it or not, the brands we see on screen play a role in shaping our perceptions, influencing our choices, and, in many ways, reflecting the culture of the time.
in the end, product placement is more than just a marketing strategy—it’s a part of the stories we tell and the world we live in.
thanks for reading!
enjoy the rest of your week.
