Pregled posta

Marketing

Sex and the City II was teaming with it, Twilight wouldn't stop going on about it and I, Robot still faces embarrasment from it. Exhibit A: the outdated product placement that Hollywood can't leave alone.

Tenuous and distracting, it feels as dated as a black and white television and treats its viewers in a way that was only exciting in the 1950s. It seems that the belief that an audience will be subconciously influenced to purchase an iPhone, a Starbucks coffee or a Volvo is the source of the discontent. The truth of the matter is we're far more sophisticated consumers now.

Which is where Exhibit B comes into play. Instead of tricking a viewer into making a purchase, this method of product placement is contempory and relevent. First seen on networks such as CW, after watching an episode of Gossip Girl or Smallville, the consumer is encouraged to engage further in the series, by visiting the CW website and exploring its style section, where links to similar clothing and products are provided. Rather than interrupting the feel of a programme, it embraces product placement in a way far more in line with a consumer's expectations. Instead of following Carrie's every branded move around Manhattan, they can engage in the aspirational lifestyle in a form that understands the level of sophistication relevant to a twenty first century consumer.

Momentum Pictures latest production, Chalet Girl, takes this one step further. As the first film to feature a fully integrated 'Like' button within its trailer, it marks a new era of product placement for the film and television industries. The viewer is engaged by the cultural choices they make when watching the trailer. By using this type of feedback so intrinsically, the products featured will garner a much higher respect from savvy consumers. Clicking on the "Like" buttons gives viewers access through Facebook to cast information, snowboarding locations where the film was shot, as well as highlighting brands featured in the film, which include Roxy and Roxy Riders, Thomas Cook, Intersport, Red Bull, and Nintendo.

As Martin Talks, chief executive of Blue Barracuda, states: "When people watch a film, they are often inspired by the lifestyle it portrays and want to buy into it. Our campaign takes that to the next level by enabling viewers to identify themselves with the cool brands in the film and use cool social sharing functionality." He goes onto say that, "participation and sharing, such as this, and the convergence of media, like films and the internet, is the future of film making."

By providing the audience with a product placement to match the advances in e-commerce, films such as Chalet Girl will pave the way for far more arresting product placement that respects the discerning modern consumer.

High vibration go on
To the sun, oh let my heart dreaming
Past a mortal as me
Where can I be?

Wish the sun to stand still
Reaching out to touch our own being
Past all mortal as we
Here we can be
Here we can be

Suns, high, streams, through
Awaken gentle mass touch
Awaken gentle mass touch

Strong, dreams, reign, here
Awaken gentle mass touch
Awaken gentle mass touching
Awaken gentle mass touch

Stars, song, age, less
Awaken gentle mass touching
Awaken gentle mass touching
Awaken gentle mass touching

Touching
Touching
Touching

Workings of man
Set to ply out historical life
Reregaining the flower of the fruit of his tree
All awakening, all restoring you

Workings of man
Crying out from the fires set aflame
By his blindness to see that the warmth of his being
His promise for his seeing, his reaching so clearly

Workings of man
Driven far from the path
Rereleased in inhibitions
So that all is left for you
All is left for you
All is left for you
All is left for you
Now

Master of images
Songs cast a light on you
Hark through dark ties
That tunnel us out of sane existence
In challenges direct
As eyes see young stars assemble

Master of light
All pure chance
As exists, cross divided
In all encircling mode
Oh, closely guided plan
Awaken in our heart

Master of soul
Set to touch all impenetrable youth
Ask away, that thought be contact
With all that's clear
Be honest with yourself
There's no doubt, no doubt

Master of time
Setting sail over all of our lands
And as we look forever closer
Shall we now bid
Farwell, farewell

High vibration go on
To the sun, oh let my heart dreaming
Past a mortal as me
Where can I be?

Wish the sun to stand still
Reaching out to touch our own being
Past all mortal as we
Here we can be

Like the time I ran away
And turned around
And you were standing close to me

Like the time I ran away
And turned around
And you were standing close to me

"Awaken," by Steve Howe and Jon Anderson