Product placement - a matter of ethics?

Today we learn the type of PR tactics - written, acted, spoken and imagined money.

I'd like to comment on imagined money, or more specifically, product placement.

Do you notice the Coca-Cola red mugs sitting on the judges' table on every American Idol episode (as shown in the picture below)?

That is product placement - "a form of advertisement, where branded goods or services are placed in a context usually devoid of ads, such as movies, the story line of television shows, or news programs" as written in Wikipedia.

When I first learn about it, I was quite amaze at how subtly effective these "invisible" brands and products were. They were all around us but we did not notice it openly; they affected us subconsciously.

Then it became annoying when I began noticing all the product placement, especially those in the movies. They were everywhere!

A person wearing a dark blue t-shirt with the word "GAP" printed on its front is an example of product placement. The movie "Devil Wears Prada" has many product placement.

I think the best thing about these product placement is how they are so expensive and help to fund the movies/shows.

But if you look at it another way, is it ethical that media is "imposing" on its viewers with these brands? Are they trying to create an unnecessary desire to possess these items?

Let's take the movie 'The Devil wears Prada' as an example.

It is a story about a journalist who lands herself in a fashion magazine even though she is a fashion-noobsta. Eventually, she is transformed into a walking fashionista, wearing brands such as Prada, Gucci and the likes.

And the message is? You have to be a fashionista, not a fashion-noobsta, to survive in New York City.

Is this the right set of values that we want to spread? Which goes back to this week's readings - is it ethical?

YOU think about it.

(Read before Week 4:
4. Public Relations Ethics - Elspeth Tilley)