Quick guide to doing product placement

Product placement is slowly emerging as the possible only viable alternative to classical advertising. So I have put together a couple of rules of successful product placement

A) What NOT to do
- do not insist on having your product displayed where it normally would not appear - like a deodorant can in the living room
- do not insist on the key character wearing more than a branded cap ocassionally - a branded cap, Tshirt and sneakers might draw attention
- do no insist on the key character wearing a branded item ALL THROUGHOUT the show - unless it's a live show where he/she does not change
- do not associate brands with characters that would normally not use them - Cocolino in the bathroom of Taxi driver will not look convincing
- do not insist on the character saying the "corporate accepted" name of your product
- related: do not insist on the character asking for your product when they would be asking for a generic - no one says "can I have a cup of Amigo Super Blend" unless they are an obsessive compulsive maniac

b) What to DO
- plan the product placement ahead - talk to producers when they are just writing the script
- build the product into the character's daily routine for a long time
- only showcase your star product
- use block busters to launch products - new heroes, new design, new customers
- use series to maintain loyalty for products - relationship with recurring characters means relationship with their brands
- do not be obvious, be smart
- ask yourself "what would this character do with my product?" - of the answer is "nothing" choose some other show to place your product in
- talk to the actor and the person writing the script = tell them about your product so they can integrate it naturally
(should be in NOT to do: DO NOT send the corporate brochure for inspiration for the person writing the script)

To be continued....