TV product placement criticised

Plans to introduce product placement to British television programmes have been controversial since the Government launched a consultation in November 2009. UK marketing news headlines have featured public opposition from a wide variety of stakeholders including ministers, members of the public, tv and medical professionals. Now the proposals have come under fire from a surprising source – the very trade body which represents the UK’s biggest brands.

The Incorporated Society of British Advertisers, commonly known as the ISBA, is often seen as ‘the voice of British advertising’. However it has shocked the industry by attacking the product placement plans suggested by commercial broadcasters in 2009.

The Guardian reports that the ISBA believes that the Government’s proposals to deregulate product placement will have the “double disadvantage of higher costs for advertisers and more complaints from the viewing public”. In its submission to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the ISB admitted that its view was “somewhat uncharacteristic” but it believes that the current system of sourcing props for TV shows is performing well.

Whilst OFCOM estimates that product placement could be worth up to £35m within five years to the broadcasting industry,  the ISBA believes it would drive up the cost of something which was previously almost free to advertisers. As direct product placement is illegal on British television, the only form of product placement available to advertisers is to make their products available as props to production companies.

“We are very concerned that the combination of overly optimistic revenue expectations and formalisation of this market might lead to attempts, particularly by broadcasters, to close off low-cost prop placement in order to drive advertisers into more expensive paid product placement in programmes under their control” said Bob Wooton, the director of Media and Advertising for the ISBA, in the group’s submission.

The ISBA is also concerned about the number of complaints that product placement might generate, leading to increased costs for advertisers penalised by OFCOM, and poisoning perception of the industry in marketing news. Bob Wooton stated that the ISBA believes that increased costs would lead advertisers to demand greater prominence of product placement in programmes, “leading to an increased likelihood of viewer disenchantment and in turn, complaint”.

Related posts:

1. Ofcom lays down timetable for TV product placement
2. Product placement to go before Parliament
3. Culture secretary scales back TV product placement plans
4. Product placements may be the future on UK TV
5. Britney Spears earns £309,000 from product placement