Leslie Budd on... product placement

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Fred Perry was a great tennis player.  His sporting feats may never be emulated.  His legacy lives on in a great line of clothing, which adorns many people on television.  Is this product placement or good taste by the wearers?  Should companies use product placement as part of their marketing strategy or use a great deal of resources in promoting it?  Companies can do this by paying direct fees or underwriting the cost of media production by placing goods.  But what do companies get out of product placement?  Is it like advertising in reinforcing market perception and market entry and the company’s self esteem?  There is a downside to product placement in that some companies would not like certain television presenters to be seen placing their products.  On the other hand, they may also not wish their products to be used in certain situations if they are to be shown in a poor light.  The bottom line is that product placement is part of our business culture with its upsides and its downsides.  Unlike great social and sporting events, its legacy and impact lives on in different forms.  

That’s my view.  You can join the debate with The Open University.