) Case Study(6 Marks)

The distinction between figure and ground is an element of perception. A marketing technique dating back to the time when TV was first became a mass medium that is experiencing tremendous growth and stems from the figure-and -ground concept is product placement (or "branded entertainment"). When this method is employed, the advertised product (i.e. figure) is integrated into a TV show, film, or even news broadcast (i.e. the ground). As consumers increasingly and more efficiently avoid viewing TV commercials through "time shifting" and automatic "skip" features on their remote controls, marketers are turning to product placements where consumers are "forced" to view the products because they are integrated into the shows contents. Furthermore, the recent move of comedian Jay Leno from his late night program to a daily prime-time show was viewed, in part, as an attempt to createa better platform for "elevating brands into the show" by NBC- the new showssponsor. Several articles about product placements are listed below and you can easily find more readings about this topic online.

Question:

a. What are the ethical implications of product placements in the context of consumerperception?

b. Have you noticed an increase in product placements in movies and TV programs? Explain your answer.

c. Good product placements are "seamlessly" integrated into a movie's or TV programs story line. List and describe one movie or TV program that you recall seeing where there was a good fit between the product placed and the story line, and one example where the opposite was the case.

d. how does the increase in the number of product placements over the last few years reflect the changing business model of TV broadcasting?