Journal of Marketing Management, 2006, 22, 489-504

Simon Hudson^ and David Hudson^

Branded Entertainment: A New Advertising Technique or Product Placement in Disguise?

In the last few decades product placement has matured and become more sophisticated. Branded products are no longer just 'placed'; they are woven into entertainment content making a stronger emotional connection with the consumer. Tlie outcome is a concept the advertising industry is calling branded entertainment, a convergence of advertising and entertainment. This article considers whetlier or not branded entertainment is a nezo technique, or just another form of product placement. By tracking the evolution of product placement and from an analysis of the tivo concepts, it is suggested that branded entertainment is a new term to describe a more contemporary, sophisticated use of product placement. A conceptual framezvork for understanding the various forms of product placement is presented, and this highlights the key influences on the effectiveness of this fast-grotving marketing phenomenon. The important managemetit issues related to product placement are considered; issues related to measurement, control, and ethics. The article then concludes with reconunendations for further research.

Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary Leicester Business School, De Montfort University

Keywords: product placement, branded entertainment, advertising

^ Correspondence: Dr Simon Hudson, Associate Professor, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 1N4, Tel: +1 (403) 220 8738, Fax: +1 (403) 282 0095, E-mail:
simon. hudso n@haskayne.u calgarxf.ca

^ Dr David Hudson, Principal Lecturer, Department of Marketing, Leicester Business School, De Montfort University, Bosworth House, The Gateway, Leicester, England LEI 9BH, Tel: +44 (116) 257 7224, Fax: +44 (116) 251 7548, E-mail:
dhnar@dmu.ac.uk

ISSN0267-257X/2006/5-6/00489 + 15

Westburn Publishers Ltd.

490 Introduction

Simon Hudson and David Hudson

Several researchers have indicated the importance of product placement as an additional element of the promotional mix, and there is a growing body of research concerning its practice. However, academics have yet to conceptualise branded entertainment and document its impact on the marketing landscape. This is surprising, given the level of interest in the subject area within the industry. In 2005 alone, there were no less than 251 unique articles on the subject of branded entertainment or branded content published in the marketing and media trade magazines (Business Source Premier 2005; Proquest 2005). This article opens the dialogue on branded entertainment, and begins by showing how product placement as a practice, and by definition, has evolved over the years. A conceptual framework is presented, with the difference between pure product placement and branded entertainment illustrated by using a continuum that expresses the level of brand integration with the storyline or plot. The key influences on the effectiveness of product placement and branded entertainment are then highlighted and discussed. The important management issues related to branded entertainment are considered, issues related to measurement, control, and ethics. The effectiveness of branded entertainment is a prime site for theoretical development and the conceptual model presented in the article identifies many research opportunities. The article therefore concludes with recommendations for further research. The Evolution of Product Placement The origins of product placement can be traced back to the start of motion pictures itself in the 1890s where Lever Brothers secured the placement of their branded soaps in some of the earliest films made. Certainly from the 1930s onwards film producers and brand owners actively engaged in product placement deals. Buick, for example, had a 10 picture deal with Warner Brothers in the 1930s and US tobacco companies often paid movie stars to endorse their brands. The advent of television in the 1950s gave brand owners another avenue for product placement deals. Early TV programs were often sponsored by and named after brands, like Vie Colgate Comedy Hour and Kraft Television Vieatre, and within these programmes presenters would often promote the virtues of the brands. From the early 1930s until the 1980s, barter-style arrangements were in operation, whereby the brand owner would provide free props to the production set and often lend advertising support to promoting the film. However, the nature of these arrangements changed in the mid-1980s with the establishment of specialist product placement agencies, who negotiated agreements between suppliers

Branded Entertainment

491

and movie makers. The former would benefit from brand exposure and the latter would obtain much needed financial support and gain a level of authenticity in the production. The more recent 'wave' of product placement began in 1982, when Reese's Pieces were used to lure a lumbering little alien out of hiding in the film E.T. The placement proved profitable for the candy's manufacturers, Hershey, who saw a 65% rise in sales following the film's release. Ever since, the placement of products in movies and television has become an important element of consumer marketing programs and has seen considerable growth in the last 10 years (Kaikati and Kaikati 2004). Spending on this type of marketing reached a record $4.25 billion in 2005, an increase of 22.8% from the $3.46 bilUon spent in 2004 (PQ Media 2005). This growth has been influenced by the growth of the entertainment industry. Traditionally, advertising was placed adjacent to entertainment in order to capitalise on the audiences the entertainment attracted. However, over the last few decades, the entertainment industry has proliferated and entertainment is now distributed and consumed through a variety of media. These changes have opened the door to integrated advertising, with marketers reaUsing that communications via product placement can be an effective part of the promotional mix. This type of integrated product placement has been labelled 'branded entertainment' by the industry and can be illustrated as a convergence between advertising and entertainment (see Figure 1).

Figure 1. Branded Entertainment: The Convergence of Advertising and Entertainment For the advertiser, product placement may lead to increased awareness, a more positive attitude towards that product, and ultimately, as in the case of Reese's Pieces, a purchase (Karrh 1995). It is also one way of combating

492

Simon Hudson and David Hudson

growing consumer resistance to advertising and new technologies that allow people to avoid watching commercials. For the entertairunent industry, a key objective behind using product placement is financial (Russell and Belciv 2005). Production budgets have shrunk to a point where production companies are increasingly forced to look to alternative funds for funding. Product placement also offers a level of authenticity for producers by adding realism to film or television programs (Johnstone and Dodd, 2000). Product Placement and Branded Entertainment Defined Defirutions of product placement, like its practice, have changed over the years. An early definition that is often used is the one by Balasubramanian (1991), who defined it as the planned entries of products into movies or television shows that may influence viewers' product beliefs and/or behaviours favourably. Since then there have been a number of definitions from different scholars. One key change in these definitions is the acknowledgment that product placement occurs in media other than tilm or television. However, more significantly, since d'Astous and Segun (1999) attempted to classify different types of product placement, scholars have used the word 'integration' in their definitions. As for definitions of branded entertainment, in the UK the Branded Content Marketing Association (BCMA 2005) defines it as "where advertisers create or distribute entertainment to communicate with their customers." In the US it is defined by the Association of National Advertisers (ANA 2005) as "the integration of a product within an appropriate context". If the academic definitions of product placement from the last five years or so are compared to these definitions of branded entertainment, there is a clear overlap between the two, with integration being a common theme. It would appear that the advertising industry has created a new term to define the more contemporary use of product placement. For the purposes of this article, branded entertainment is defined as the
integration of advertising into entertainment content, whereby brands are embedded into storylines of a film, television program, or other entertainment medium. This involves co-creation and collaboration between entertainment, media and brands.

Examples of brands creating entertainment are Coca-Cola, BMW, and Ford, who have adopted the role of program producer (Karrh, McKee and Pardun 2003). Also, specialist agencies like 1^' Approach in Hollywood have been set up to assist advertisers in creating their own media productions. Others, like The WB, have created special programs through which advertisers can pick a scripted show and become the exclusive product-integration partner of that show.

Branded Entertainment The Institutionalisation of Branded Entertainment

493

Despite confusion over terminology, it is clear that branded entertainment is an estabUshed advertising technique and an indication of its growing importance can be seen in the increasing institutionalisation of branded entertainment in recent years. In 1991 the Entertainment Resources and Marketing Association (ERMA) was formed to represent the corporations and agencies providing entertainment resources to the filmed entertainment community. In 2003, the BCMA was launched to provide a forum for advertising and entertainment professionals and organisations who are involved in creating branded entertainment. In the last few years all the major global marketing communications agency groups have set up dedicated brand entertainment divisions. These include Omnicom's Media Group, IPG's Magna Global, WPP Group's Mindshare, Publicis Groupe's Starcom, Interpublic Group's Initiative and Aegis Group's Carat Americas. Branded entertainment has become a key method for multinational agencies to penetrate certain countries like China, India, the Philippines, and Africa. These changes in agency structures and the services they offer have come at a time when some of the worlds leading advertisers are questioning the future of the traditional advertising model. In the last few years some of the world's leading brand advertisers, such as Procter & Gamble and Coca-Cola have called on agency and media owners to think differently about how brands might connect with consumers in the future. Steven Heyer, CocaCola's president and chief operating officer, said in 2003 that he was moving away from advertising spots and traditional product placement towards
"ideas tliat bring entertainment value to our brands, and ideas tliat integrate our brands into entertainment" (Aitchison 2004).

The Product Placement-Branded Entertainment Continuum The difference between pure product placement and branded entertainment can be illustrated by way of a continuum that expresses the level of brand integration with the storyline or plot. Figure 2 is an illustration of this continuum along with the key influences on product placement effectiveness (discussed in the next section). At one end of the continuum with no brand integration, there is passive product placement, such as the prominent depiction of the Coca Cola name in the program American Idol. Such placements are less effective than other types of placement (Gupta and Lord 1998). At the other end of the continuum, the product is integrated into the storyline for the program or film. An episode of the CTC drama The Eleventh Hour, for example, featured Nicorettes woven into a story about a character trying to stop smoking. Making brands intrinsic elements of plot lines like this, distinguishes branded entertainment from the traditional use of product

494

Simon Hudson and David Hudson

placement. In the past, advertisers sought to place products in shows as soon as they became hits. Now, advertising deals are happening alongside the creative development. Programming sponsored by and produced for single advertisers offers them benefits like exclusivity, reduced clutter and the ability to incorporate products into scenes in ways that do not seem blatant or contrived (Elliott 2006). Branded entertainment coincides with the rise of reality television, where a lack of scripts and a focus on "real world" situations lend themselves to the integration of products and brand names. Colgate-Palmolive for example, provided a $50,000 budget for each team on the reality show Vie Apprentice whose task it was to launch Crest's latest flavoured toothpaste. Branded entertainment is now commonplace in reality shows and is seeping into scripted shows, where products are woven in during series development (Romano 2004). Branded entertainment in video games is also becoming more prevalent. It is predicted that more than one-third of product placement in video games by 2009 will be in the form of 'advergaming,' where advertisers create a game around a product rather than place their brands within a well-known title (Financial Post 2005). Key Influences on Product Placement Effectiveness A review of the academic and practitioner literature related to the various forms of product placement suggests that there are certain key factors that influence the effectiveness of these marketing initiatives (see Figure 2). Media Used The product placement phenomenon is penetrating every form of media. Friedman (1991), for example, has documented the wide use of brand names to create humour in popular writings such as novels, plays, songs, and masscirculation newspapers and magazines. Marketers are also using the Internet to place products. Many websites have branded computer games, cartoons, and free graphics or offer branded animations available to download. Similarly, BMW has expanded the boundaries of advertising formats on the web where their short films featuring BMW automobiles are the attraction, not an advertising distraction (Urbach et al. 2004). Movies are now littered with product placement. Will Smith's recent film Hitch contained no fewer than 52 featured brands including Altoids, Fritos, Citibank and Yoga magazine. But nowhere has this practice become more prevalent or controversial than on television. A recent ANA survey revealed that 85% of marketers who participated in branded entertainment used commercial TV programming. Magazines (34%), movies (31%) and video games (24%) are the other main types of media marketers are using for branded entertainment projects (ANA 2005).

Branded Entertainment
S5

495

"13 C

3 3 C

o U

CO

-1.

3 T3 O

5
SiS

m'

496

Simon Hudson and David Hudson

However, several differences among the types of media must be considered. For example, the advantages of brand placement in video games over other media include its capacity to increase involvement due to the reception context (active versus passive), its ability to target specific consumer markets, and its longer shelf-life (Nelson 2002). Placement decisions ultimately depend on the advertiser's marketing goals. For an advertiser trying to reach an international market, films may be the best option. A typical movie with international distribution can now reach over one hundred million consumers as it moves from box office, to video/DVD to TV. Advertisers with more tactical objectives prefer television. TV offers a variety of options for placement: daytime or primetime, broadcast, cable, or syndication; comedy, drama, reality or game shows. Brand Characteristics Some brands lend themselves more to placement than others. In a survey of marketers' attitudes toward branded entertainment half of the respondents who did not participate said it was because their brands did not lend themselves to meaningful integration (ANA 2004). Many traditional business-to-business marketers express littie interest in brand placement in TV or films, whereas fast-moving-consumer-good manufacturers like CocaCola, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Nike Inc. and Motorola Inc. are much more active. It has also been suggested that brand placement only works for established brand names that are easily identifiable (Ephron 2003). However, some research suggests that novel or atypical brands will get more notice from viewers (Karrh 1998), a theory supported by the number of new brands like 'Junior Mints' and 'Snickers' launched as a result of placements in the TV sitcom Seinfeld. Other research suggests that ethically-charged products, such as alcohol, cigarettes, and guns, are perceived by consumers as less acceptable than others (Gupta and Gould 1997). Supporting Promotional Activity Some believe that it is impossible to achieve a call to action unless there is a promotional campaign around the brand integration (Sauer, 2005). Firms that buy advertising time are increasingly including product placements in their advertising deals with networks. For example, Havas SA's MPG mediabuying arm placed Tyson Foods Inc's chicken nuggets on an episode of Still Statuiing on CBS, as part of an airtime package that included traditional commercials as well as a sponsorship deal (Vranica 2004a). According to Norm Marshall, President of NMA Entertainment & Marketing, you can achieve reach and awareness with branded integration, but it is impossible to inspire a call to action unless there is a promotional campaign around the brand integration (Vranica 2004b). It is now common for companies to put significant advertising and promotional weight behind brand placements.

Branded Entertainment

497

Successful placement and marketing campaigns include the James Bond launch of BMW's Z3, Jeep's support of the movie Sahara, and Mattel's partnership with the Cartoon Network. Consumer Attitudes to Product Placement Prior research in this area indicates that consumers have a positive view towards product placement and it seems to increase brand loyalty by validating the purchase decisions of the consumer (Nebenzahl and Secunda 1993). Research also suggests that brand placement can have greater impact with consumers than is typically found with comparable advertising exposures (Karrh et al 2003). However there are demographic and crosscultural differences in consumer responses to brand placement. For example, studies show that viewers aged 15-34 exhibit a high tolerance for the communication method, and are more likely to notice it than other age groups (Hall 2004). There are also geographical differences in responses to brand placement. European movie watchers object more than North Americans to brand placement (Hall 2004), but there is a general acceptance of brand placement in Asia-Pacific (McKechnie and Zhou 2003). Placement Characteristics Some researchers have examined the different types of brand placements and how audiences process them. They agree on a hierarchy of memory effects according to placement modality of a visual-verbal combination, followed by a verbal only and then visual-only placements (Russell 2002; Karrh et al. 2003). When and how products are woven into the story line can be more important for effectiveness than the number of viewers (Friedman 2003). Research suggests that memory of the placement is likely to be higher if the placement is meaningful and that there is a connection with the plot (Russell 2002). Many product placement professionals believe that the best placements are subtle ones, and the seamiessness of the product placement is an important factor in judging its success (Cowlett 2000). Other researchers have found that recaU and recognition are better for prominently placed products rather than those simply appearing in the background (Gupta and Lord 1998). For television, the link between sponsor and program is very important for brand recall. The stronger the Unk, the greater the impact will be on the sponsor's image and the attitudes towards the sponsor itself (Tiwsakul et al. 2005; d'Astous and Segun 1999). In addition, how a product is used and by whom is important (Morton and Friedman 2002). Characters on the screen that share brand use with viewers can contribute to the relationship between audiences and characters (DeLorme et al. 1994), and product placement's association with celebrity can increase its credibility (Morton and Friedman 2002).

498

Simon Hudson and David Hudson

Regulations Although brand placement is prevalent in the US, stricter regulations make it less common in other parts of the world. All broadcasters in the European Union are forced to adhere to the European Commission's TV Without Frontiers Legislation. This is only the minimum requirement nations can also impose additional restrictions. In France, for example, brand placement on television is illegal. In the UK, producers and broadcasters cannot take inducements as regulators attempt to enforce clear distinctions between programming and advertising. And in Italy, laws that ban 'surreptitious advertising' look unkindly on product placement. In Asia however, less rigid regulations have allowed branded entertainment to develop rapidly, with India, China, New Zealand, Australia, and the Philippines leading the pack. There is the possibility that regulations will effect the future growth of branded entertainment. However, such laws are more likely to be relaxed than get stricter. Key Management Issues Related To Product Placement And Branded Entertainment Measurement The measurement of brand placement has been the subject of much discussion. Just like advertising, the effectiveness of brand placement as a communications strategy must be gauged against the specific objectives of decision-makers (d'Astous and Chartier 2000). Academics suggest that message impact should be assessed at recall, persuasion, and behavioural levels (Balasubramanian 1994). Amongst brand placement practitioners, measuring placement's effectiveness is still a rough-and-ready art, but unaided recall and brand recognition are the two most popular means of assessing placements (Karrh et al. 2003). Nielson Media Research has recently established a product placement measurement service and tracking system. In its first full season, the system ranked Coca-Cola as the champion of product inclusions, with products or mentions appearing 2,260 times, followed by Nike apparel products which appeared 1,048 times (Atkinson 2004). Two New York-based companies. Intermedia Advertising Group and Itvx, have also developed product placement measuring tools to measure recall and strategic fit. However, there are still some critics that question the high investment that branded entertainment requires. Certainly, entertainment costs are escalating. Even the cheapest channel on multi-charmel TV demands a programming budget of $30,000 an hour (Reid, 2004). BMW recently discontinued its branded entertainment efforts due to rising costs and a lack of effective measurement (Halliday and Graser 2005). As Russell and Belch (2005) surmise, as the product placement industry niatures and attracts ever

Branded Entertainment

499

larger communications budgets, it is critical that a more formalised model be estabUshed to allow accountability. Control Marketers have far less control over most brand placement efforts than they have with traditional advertising (Kaikati and Kaikati 2004). Advertisers' representatives, accustomed to buying time in specific slots and filling them with commercials over which they had complete control, are now faced with dealing directly with HoUywood's creative talent. Control over content is not something Hollywood will surrender lightly, even if it is able to. If the plot takes a wrong turn, or the subject matter is inappropriate, the brand exposure can backfire. Reebok, for example, filed a breach of contract suit in 1996 against TriStar Pictures in connection with the movie Jerry Maguire. Under an agreement, Reebok asked for a full-length TV commercial for the brand to be part of the movie. The commercial was eventually cut from the final film, but a scene in which a character shouted obscenities at Reebok remained. The two sides eventually settled out of court. In order to have more control over placements, an increasing number of marketers are creating entertainment themselves. Already, Coca-Cola, General Motors, JetBlue Airways, Meow Mix, Pepsi-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Unilever, BMW, and Ford, have adopted the role of program producer (EUiott, 2006). Others, like The WB, have created special programs through which advertisers can pick a scripted show and become the exclusive product-integration partner of that show. And recently, Sony Pictures reedited an existing series episode of The King of Queens to add a product placement, incorporating a plug for Dr. SchoU's Massaging Gel Insoles (Lafayette 2004). This means that any current or past series could in theory be re-edited to add other placements in the future. Ethical Issues Finally, brand managers have to consider emerging ethical and legal issues (Karrh et al. 2001). Research has confirmed that consumers are concerned about the 'subliminal' effects of brand placement (Tiwsakul et al. 2005). Others fear that brand placement's influence on the content of movies and television will seep into news magazines, where editorial content is seen by many as inviolate. Critics also claim that the trend of embedding products into songs is an invasion of music lovers' privacy, and some have expressed concerns over the loss of artistic freedom resulting from the increased use of brands in video games (Nelson 2002). Concern has been cited for product placements of ethicaUy charged products (Gupta and Lord 1998) (guns, alcohol and tobacco for example), and others question the use of brand placement in children's programming (Avery and Ferraro 2000).

500

Simon Hudson and David Hudson

Despite these concerns, the future for branded entertainment looks positive, and spending on brand placements is expected to continue to outpace that of traditional advertising (PQMedia 2005). Some marketing executives predict that within three to four TV seasons, up to 75% of all scripted, prime-time network shows in the US will include products or services paid for by advertisers (George 2005). Brand placement in video games will continue to grow, rising to about $800-million in 2009 from nearly $120-million in 2004 (Financial Post 2005). Placement in magazines is also likely to become more prevalent. Business-to-business marketers will have the most desire for product placements in print, specifically in trade publications, where most of their marketing communication is focused. Future Research The effectiveness of branded entertainment is a prime site for theoretical development, and the conceptual model presented in this article identifies many research opportunities. Both qualitative and quantitative studies have a role to play in such research. To begin with, much empirical research in this area fails to distinguish between the various brand placement techniques, such as those proposed by d'Astous and Segun (1999). Previous studies have generally ignored how the characteristics of brand placements impact differently on consumer reactions and memory. Such research would be of great benetit to a firm wishing to invest in branded entertainment when deciding how its product or brand is going to be presented. There is also a general failure to differentiate between media vehicles. Future research should explore and compare consumers' reactions to product placement across different types of media. For example, how consumers will react to the increased use of branded entertainment in magazines is unknown (Fine 2004). Another area that should be investigated is consumers' degree of acceptance and attitude toward branded entertainment in different product categories. Such research should be conducted using larger, more diverse samples (rather than just students) and could measure important variables such as the impact of prior familiarity with the brand or the effectiveness of supporting promotional activity. The interest in the implementation of globally integrated marketing communications strategy has raised the issue of how consumers in different cultures perceive, and form attitudes towards, branded entertainment. More cross-cultural research is needed therefore to generate deeper knowledge of the diverse factors that might impact the effectiveness of branded entertainment. Ethical issues related to product placement and branded entertainment also warrant further investigation. Some researchers have suggested that product placements are often more effective than traditional advertising techniques because they are deceptive.

Branded Entertainment

501

Nebenzahl and Jaffe (1998) propose that product placement is the least ethical of all forms of advertising since it is both high on source concealment and obtrusiveness. Future research should include the influence of branded entertainment on vulnerable groups, as well as consumer responses to the placement of ethically charged products. In particular there have been calls for more research that focuses on the influence of product placement on children (Tiwsakul et al., 2005). Finally, as mentioned previously, there is a need to determine whether consumer response to branded placements will change over time. As branded entertainment becomes an increasingly pervasive form of marketing communication, it may lose its novelty and become subject to the clutter that has characterised advertising over the last few decades. It will require the monitoring of the effectiveness of the strategy over time to determine whether and how such developments come to affect viewer attention, recall and attitude. As one critic has observed, "tlie infuriating paradox of product
placement is that if you notice it, it is bad. But if you don't notice it, it is worthless. It is such a narroio line thai either the vieioer or the advertiser feels betrayed"

(Ephron 2003, p. 20). References Aitchison, Jim (2004), "Making The Move From Commercials to Content," Media Asia, 18 June, pp. 23-24. Anon (2005), "Advertising in Video Games Forecast Near US$2.5B Worldwide by 2010," Financial Post, 15 April, pp. FP3. Association of National Advertisers (2005), "ANA Survey Finds Majority of TV Advertisers are Participating in Branded Entertainment Projects," at http://www.ana.net/news/ (accessed 13 April 2005). d'Astous, Alain, and Segun, Nathalie (1999), "Consumer Reactions to Product Placement Strategies in Television Sponsorship/' European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 33, No. 9/10, pp. 896-910. d'Astous, Alain, and Chartier, Francis (2000), "A Study of Factors Affecting Consumer Evaluations and Memory of Product Placements in Movies,"
Journal of Current Issues in Advertising, Vol 22, No. 2, pp. 31-40.

Atkinson, Claire (2004), "Nielson Plumbs Product Placement," Advertising Age, Vol 75, No. 37, pp. 47. Avery, Rosemary ]., and Ferraro, Rosellina (2000), "Verisimilitude or Advertising? Brand Appearances on Prime-Time Television," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Vol 34, No. 2, pp. 217-45. Balasubramanian, Siva K. (1991), Bexfond Advertising and Publicity: Vie Domain of the Hybrid Messages. Cambridge, MA: Marketing Science Institute. Balasubramanian, Siva K. (1994), "Beyond Advertising and Publicity: Hybrid Messages and Public Policy Issues," Journal of Advertising, Vol. 23, No. 4,

502

Simon Hudson and David Hudson

pp. 29-47. Branded Content Marketing Association (BCMA) (2005), at http://www.thebcma.info (accessed 1 July 2005). Cowlett, Mary (2000), "Make it Into the Movies," Marketing, 17 August, pp. 29. DeLorme, Denise E., Reid, Leonard N., and Zimmer, Mary R. (1994), "Brands in Films: Young Moviegoers' Experiences and Interpretations," paper presented at the 1994 Cor\ference of the American Academy of Advertising, Tuscon, Arizona. Ephron, Erwin (2003), "The Paradox of Product Placement/' Mediaweek, Vol. 13, No. 22, pp. 20. Elliott, Stuart (2006), "Advertisers Now Want To Be Directors, Too," New York Times, 17 April, at: http:/ / www.iht.com/articles/ 2006/ 04/17/ business/ brand.php (accessed 19 April 2006). Fine, Jon (2004), "Mags & Vine. As Branded Entertainment Moves to Magazines, a New Debate Erupts," Advertising Age, 12 April, 2004, at http://www.commercialalert.org (accessed 15 May 2006). Friedman, Monroe (1991), "A 'Brand' Neio Language. New York: Greenwood Press. Friedman, Wayne (2003), "Intermedia Measures Product Placements," TelevisionWeek, Vol 2, No. 50, pp. 4. Friestad, Marian, and Wright, Peter (1995), "The Persuasion Knowledge Model: How People Cope With Persuasion Attempts," Journal of Consumer Research, Vol. 11, pp. 927-38. George, Lianne (2005), "Is Kiefer Sutherland Trying to Sell You Something?" Macleans, Vol. 118, No. 8, pp. 30-6. Gupta, Pola B., and Gould, Stephen J. (1997), "Consumers' Perceptions of the Ethics and Acceptability of product Placement in Movies: Product Category and Individual Differences," Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, Vol. 19, No. 1, pp. 37-50. Gupta, Pola B., and Lord, Kenneth R. (1998), "Product Placement in Movies: The Effect of Prominence and Mode on Audience Recall," Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, Vol. 20, pp. 47-59. Halliday, Jean., and Graser, Marc (2005), "BMW Abandons Madison & Vine," Advertising Age, Vol. 76, No. 4, pp. 10. Hall, Emma (2004), "Young Consumers Receptive to Movie Product Placement," Advertising Age, Vol. 75, No. 13, pp. 8. Johnstone, Emma., and Dodd, Christopher A. (2000), "Placements as Mediators of Brand Salience Within a UK Cinema Audience," Joumal of Marketing Communications, Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 141-158. Kaikati, Andrew M., and Kaikati , Jack G. (2004), "Stealth Marketing: How to

Branded Entertainment

503

Reach Consumers Surreptitiously," California Management Review, Vol. 46, No. 4, pp. 6-22. Karrh, James A. (1995), " Brand Placements in Feature Films: The Practitioner's View," In Proceedings of the Conference of the American Academy of Advertising, Waco, TX, pp. 182-188. Karrh, James A. (1998), "Why (Some) Brand Placements are Effective: Insights From Impression Management Research," in D.D. Muehling (ed.). Proceedings of the Conference of the Academy of Advertising, PuUman, WA: American Academy of Advertising, pp. 306. Karrh, James.A., McKee, Kathy B., and Pardun, Carol J. (2003), "Practitioners' Evolving Views on Product Placement Effectiveness," Journal of Advertising Research, Vol 43, pp. 138-49. Kipnes, Jill, and Newman, Melinda (2005), "Making Brands Viable", Billboard, Vol 117, No. 6, pp. 6-8. Lafayette, Jon (2004), "Reopening the Door to Product Placement/' TelevisionWeek, Vol. 23, No. 37, pp. 2. McKechnie, Sally A., and Zhou, Jia (2003), "Product Placement in Movies: A Comparison of Chinese and American Consumers' Attitudes/' International Journal of Advertising, Vol 22, pp. 349-74. Morton, Cynthia R., and Friedman, Meredith (2002), "I Saw it in The Movies: Exploring the Link Between Product Placement Beliefs and Reported Usage Behaviour," Journal of Current Issues and Research in Advertising, Vol 24, No. 2, pp. 33-40. Nebenzahl, Israel D., and Secunda, Eugene (1993), "Consumers' Attitudes Toward Product Placement in Movies/' International Journal of Advertising, Voll2,No. l,pp. 1-11. Nebenzahl Israel D., and Jaffe, Eugene D., (1998), "Ethical Dimensions of Advertising Executions," Journal of Business Ethics, Vol. 17, No. 7, pp. 805815. Nelson, MicheUe R. (2002), "Recall of Brand Placements in Computer/Video Games," Journal of Advertising Research, Vol 42, No. 2, pp. 80-92. PQmedia (2005), "Product Placement Spending in Media 2005," March, PQ Media LLC. Reid, Alasdair (2004), "Are Advertisers TV Channels On The Up?" Campaign, 15 October, pp. 12. Romano, AlUson (2004), "The New Script for Product Placement," Broadcasting & Cable, Vol 134, No. 4, pp. 13. Russell Cristel A. (2002), "Investigating the Effectiveness of Product Placements in Television Shows: The Role of Modality and Plot Connection Congruence on Brand Memory and Attitude," Journal of Consumer Research, Vol 22, pp. 306-18. Russell, Cristel A., and Belch, Michael (2005), "A Managerial Investigation

504

Simon Hudson and David Hudson

into the Product Placement Industry," Joumal of Advertising Research, Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 73-92. Sauer, Adam (2005), "Product Placement: Making the Most of a Close-Up," at http://www.brandchaTuiel.com (accessed 15 May 2006). Tiwsakul, Rungpaka, Hackley, Chris, and Isabelle Szmigin (2005), "Explicit, Non-Integrated Product Placement in British Television Programmes/'
International Journal of Advertising, Vol. 24, No.l, pp. 95-111.

Urbach, Ronald R., Garbus, Martin, and Johnston, James L. (2004), "Brand Names in Entertainment: The Trend, and the Controversy, Grows," at http://Iibrary.findlaw.com/2004/ (accessed 15 November 2005). Vranica, Suzanne (2004a), "Product-Placement Sheds its Cozy Trappings," Wall Street Journal, 23 September, pp. Bl. Vranica, Suzanne (2004b), "A Roadmap to the Landscape of Product Placement Today," Wall Street Journal, 29 September, pp. 1. About the Authors Simon Hudson Ph.D., M.B.A., B.A., Dip.M. is an associate professor in the Haskayne School of Business at tiie University of Calgary in Canada. He has held previous academic positions at Universities in the U.K., and has also worked as a visiting professor in Austria, Switzerland, Fiji, New Zealand, Spain, the U.S., and Australia. Prior to working in academia. Dr. Hudson spent several years working in the tourism industry in Europe, and now consults for the industry in Alberta and British Columbia. The marketing of tourism is the focus of his research, and his work has resulted in over 30 refereed joumal articles and three books: Marketing for Tourism and
Hospitality: A Canadian Perspective, Snow Business, and Sport and Adventure Tourism.

David Hudson Ph.D., M.B.A., B.A., Dip.M. is a principal lecturer in marketing at De Montfort University in England. Prior to joining academia he worked as a marketing practitioner for several companies in the travel and tourism industry. David's main teaching area is in advertising and marketing communications at both postgraduate and undergraduate level, and he has taught at universities in the UK, Europe, the USA and south-east Asia. His main focus of research has been in the areas of sports marketing and marketing communications, and has worked with governing bodies such as FIFA, The Premier League and The Football League. He has made several contributions to academic texts and has presented at a number of international conferences.