You might be seeing the image above – or an inverted version – quite a bit on TV in the coming months. Ofcom has announced that it’s to be shown when a programme has accepted product placement. You’ll get at least three seconds of it at the start and end of the programme, as well as coming out of any ad breaks.
The question is whether or not it’ll impact on viewers to any great extent. Will viewers think less of programmes that take it. As I understand it, it’ll probably limited to light entertainment to begin with as ITV steps carefully before everyone on Coronation Street stops drinking Newton & Ridley and starts drinking London Pride instead. Can you imagine?
And will ITV2 un-blur those Coke glasses on American Idol? Or will that be dependent on whether Coca-Cola UK stumps up for the privilige?
It’ll also be interesting to see how channels cope with it when they minimise or squeeze their credits and are busy trailing the next show instead. Will the “P” be lost in the mix? We’ll have to wait and see.
