Do You Think Product Integration Should Stop Trying to Be So Sneaky?

BuzzSugar — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 12:30:16 -0700

The Writers Guild of America is sick of having to write storylines in TV shows solely to feature a product or brand, so much so that the group is bringing the issue to the FCC. The WGA is hoping to make it so that any kind of advertisement is blatantly disclosed, and writers don't have to sneakily work products into a plotline where they maybe don't make sense.

geeksugar has questioned the product integration on Gossip Girl, noting that the show is clearly required to use Verizon products, but the gadgets used by the characters don't make sense for their characters.

WGA West president Patric Verrone explains that with product integration, "the hope is that consumers, not expecting to find a commercial within their program, will fail to realize they are actually being advertised to. This practice exploits the emotional connection viewers have with shows and their characters in order to sell a product." He goes on to claim that audiences are alienated by these sneaky tactics, though "an industry source" counters that "product placement has not been an issue for viewers."

What do you think? Should shows stop trying to work in products, sometimes at the expense of consistency within the story? Or does it not bother you?

Photo courtesy of the CW

This Week in TV Blogs

BuzzSugar — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 10:30:51 -0700

I've already given you some of my highlights from the week, but today I wanted to check in with some of the web's best TV bloggers to see what they were buzzing about. To see what was making headlines this week, just read more.

Trauma may not have had the best pilot ever, but hey, it had a fingerless Buddy Garrity. (Scooter McGavin's 9th Green)

Vance ranks the new shows he's checked out from best to worst. Where did you think he put Glee and Modern Family? (Tapeworthy)

In the wake of the much ballyhooed Jenny Slate controversy, Kyle examined indecency, SNL, the FCC and drew one conclusion -- who cares? (TiFaux)