Product Placement
TV networks send programs into living rooms that are packed with embedded advertising. Increasingly, such programming resembles infomercials. But TV stations pretend that these are just ordinary programs rather than paid ads. This is an affront to basic honesty.
Product placements are inherently deceptive, because many people do not realize that they are, in fact, advertisements. We’re running a campaign to require disclosure of product placement in all media, including TV, movies, videos, video games, books and “adversongs.”
Key documents:
Commercial Alert's petitions to the Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission, and the FTC's response. The FCC has not yet responded.
More Information
News Releases
Commercial Alert Asks Book Reviewers Not to Review Ad-Laden Children's Series "Mackenzie Blue"
Robert Weissman | March 12th, 2008
Commercial Alert Letter to HarperCollins Children's Books Regarding "Mackenzie Blue"
Robert Weissman | March 12th, 2008
Commercial Alert: Jack Daniels Should Stay Off TV
Robert Weissman | June 13th, 2007
Editorial Memorandum: FCC Should Require Disclosure of Covert Commercial Pitches on TV
Gary Ruskin | May 26th, 2005
Commercial Alert's Statement on Today's FTC Product Placement Decision
Gary Ruskin | February 10th, 2005
Advertisers Attack Honest Disclosure of Stealth Ads on TV
Gary Ruskin | November 15th, 2003
Commercial Alert Asks FCC, FTC to Require Disclosure of Product Placement on TV
Gary Ruskin | September 30th, 2003
Articles
FTC Caves in to Advertisers & Broadcasters on Product Placement
Gary Ruskin | February 11th, 2005
Related Articles and Links
Related Articles
NBC and GM Form Cross-Platform Marketing and Programming Partnership
Press Release | May 12th, 2008
MTV Plans to Increase Its Blending of Ads and Shows
Bill Carter | The New York Times | May 8th, 2008
Does Drug Product Placement on TV Require New Regulations?
Enrique Rivero | UCLA | May 7th, 2008
Sprint, Nissan Make Big Branded-Entertainment Plays With Soccer Shows
Laurel Wentz | Advertising Age | May 5th, 2008
Microsoft Photosynth Makes Star Turn on CSI: NY Tonight
Benjamin J. Romano | The Seattle Times | April 30th, 2008
Puma Goes Hollywood
Eric Newman | AdWeek | April 21st, 2008
NBC Puts Product Placement Online
Stuart Elliot | The New York Times | April 17th, 2008
"Kimmel" revives live TV commercials
AdWeek | April 15th, 2008
A-B Finds New Venue to Hawk Michelob
Jeremiah McWilliams | St. Louis Post-Dispatch | April 15th, 2008
Can Dove Promote a Cause and Sell Soap?
Suzanne Vranica | The Wall Street Journal | April 10th, 2008
BMW to Sponsor 'Mad Men'
AdWeek | April 8th, 2008
Microsoft Unveils Slate of Original Web Programming
Mike Shields | MediaWeek | April 7th, 2008
In-Game Ad Network Taps Into Virtual Worlds
Enid Burns | The ClickZ Network | April 7th, 2008
Digital Placement
The Engineer Online (UK) | April 7th, 2008
The Brands That Became Movie Stars
The Independent (UK) | April 6th, 2008
North Coast Wine Gets Screen Time
Kevin McCallum | The Press Democrat | March 30th, 2008
Mercedes Gets All Dolled Up
Jean Halliday | Advertising Age | March 20th, 2008
Apple teams with 'American Idol'
Michael Schneider | Variety | March 18th, 2008
‘Sex and the City’ and Its Lasting Female Appeal
Stuart Elliot | The New York Times | March 17th, 2008
Smallville Product Placement Hits New Low
Mark Wilson | About.com | March 16th, 2008
Are books for kids where little ideas - or big brands - grow?
John Mangan | The Age (Australia) | March 16th, 2008
MTV, Doritos Partner for Reality Series
Amy Johannes | Promo | March 14th, 2008
Product Placement in Songs More Intentional Than We Know
Adam Bemma | Exclaim News (Canada) | March 13th, 2008
Branded Entertainment Momentum Healthy: Report
Richard Tedesco | Brandweek | February 12th, 2008
Children's Playtime Now Fun Time for Big-Time Advertisers
Lena Sin | Vancouver Province (Canada) | February 11th, 2008
NBC Ramps up Reality Programming with Ad Tie-Ins
Scott Collins | Los Angeles Times | February 11th, 2008
Time to Stop Undermining Children with Ads
Dr. Melissa Perrin, Psy.D | Pioneer Press (Chicago Sun-Times Suburban News) | February 7th, 2008
Microsoft Shows Off Web Ad Prototypes
Jessica Mintz | Associated Press | February 6th, 2008
Product Placement Scrutinized
Ira Teinowitz | TV Week | February 3rd, 2008
Portrait of a Young Consumer
Jessica Vosgerchian | Michigan Daily | January 30th, 2008
Tyson benefits in Makeover giveaway
David Irvin | Arkansas Democrat Gazette | December 29th, 2007
Facebook challenged by ad-free rival
Mark Sweney | Guardian Unlimited (UK) | December 24th, 2007
Ad plans for Web run into privacy issues
Byron Acohido | USA Today | December 23rd, 2007
Blog it but don't flog it: ad man's new mantra
Stuart Elliot | The Sunday Scotsman | December 23rd, 2007
This holiday tradition is brought to you by ...
Jeff Martin | USA Today | December 20th, 2007
FCC Postpones Decision on Embedded Ads
Brooks Boliek and Gail Schiller | Hollywood Reporter | December 19th, 2007
Widget syndicator Clearspring launches ad network
Eric Auchard | Reuters | December 11th, 2007
Seinfeld, McD's, Brach's Help Build 'Bee Movie' Buzz
T.L. Stanley | Brandweek | November 22nd, 2007
Ad firm gives to Muni measure, gets S.F. contract
Robert Selna | San Francisco Chronicle | October 31st, 2007
Sony Launches In-Game Ad Unit
Kamau High | AdWeek | October 10th, 2007
A Drug Company Joins the March Of Penguin Tie-Ins
Pat H. Broeske | New York Times | November 6th, 2006
The Newest Characters on TV Shows: Product Plugs
Gary Levin | USA Today | September 20th, 2006
More Ad Pitches Could Get Embedded
David Lieberman | USA Today | May 17th, 2006
In Risky Move, Newscasts Adopt Product Placements
Gail Schiller | Reuters | March 15th, 2006
Product Placement Brokers Succeed in Morning Shows
Marc Graser | Advertising Age | January 30th, 2006
Plot Line: Drink Pepsi!
John Furia Jr. | Los Angeles Times | October 23rd, 2005
Product Placements Infiltrate TV Shows
Frazier Moore | Associated Press | July 19th, 2005
Probe of Stealth TV Ads Sought
Meg James | Los Angeles Times | May 26th, 2005
FTC Rejects Ad Labeling on TV
Caroline E. Mayer | Washington Post | February 11th, 2005
F.T.C. Rejects Rule On Product Placement
Stuart Elliott | New York Times | February 11th, 2005
That Abundance of Volkswagens on TV Shows Will Be Product Placement, Not Coincidence
Nat Ives | New York Times | January 13th, 2005
Dubbing In Product Plugs; How Spider-Man 2 Made Dr Pepper a Star in the U.S. And Mirinda a Star Overseas
Charles Goldsmith | Wall Street Journal | December 6th, 2004
Products Are Stars in New Ad Strategy
Meg James | Los Angeles Times | December 2nd, 2004
In Another Conquest for Product Placement, the New Comedy Central Cartoon for Adults Joins the Trend
Stuart Elliott | New York Times | October 21st, 2004
Also Starring (Your Product Name Here)
Michael McCarthy | USA Today | August 12th, 2004
Five Key Issues Could Alter The Ad Industry
Brian Steinberg and Suzanne Vranica | Wall Street Journal | January 4th, 2004
Product-placement complaint fails to result in new rules
Wall Street Journal | December 31st, 2003
Nielsen to Follow Popularity of Product Placement on Prime-Time Television
Meg James | Los Angeles Times | December 5th, 2003
On ABC, Sears Pays to Be Star Of New Series
Stuart Elliott | New York Times | December 3rd, 2003
Publication Image
Brian Steinberg and Emily Nelson | Wall Street Journal | November 30th, 2003
Industry Fights Back On Product Placement
Bill Carter | New York Times | November 14th, 2003
Commercial Alert Response: Placement Comes Under FTC Review
Claire Atkinson | Advertising Age | October 27th, 2003
Media & Marketing -- Advertising: AOL Aims to Break Out of the Box; Fresh Ad Funds Target Ways to Reach TV Viewers Tuning Out Commercials
Suzanne Vranica and Julia Angwin | Wall Street Journal | October 22nd, 2003
Group Criticizes Product Placement
Stuart Elliott | New York Times | September 30th, 2003
Placements Push to Front; Wide Range of Advertisers Play More Sophisticated Product
Janet Stilson | Advertising Age | June 9th, 2003
Going Hollywood: Beverage Companies are Dealing with Advertising Overload with Less Traditional Tie-
Mark R. Greer | Beverage Industry | April 30th, 2003
Altered Reality
Stuart Elliott | New York Times | March 12th, 2003
Digitally Inserted Ads Pop Up in World Series
Michael McCarthy | USA Today | October 18th, 2002
Product Placements Go Interactive in Video Games
Matt Richtel | New York Times | September 17th, 2002
A Word From Our Sponsor? He's Here Now
Stuart Elliott | New York Times | June 30th, 2002
Celebrities Help `Educate' Public On New Drugs
David P. Hamilton | Wall Street Journal | April 22nd, 2002
Coming: Jay Leno and the Lincolns --- In Return for Big Ad Dollars, Talk Show Will Work Cars From Fo
Suzanne Vrancia | Wall Street Journal | March 31st, 2002
'All My Children' Gets Revlon Twist
Joe Flint and Emily Nelson | Wall Street Journal | March 15th, 2002
Ads Are Here, There, Everywhere
Michael McCarthy | USA Today | June 19th, 2001
Coke Leads Push to Place Products in Movies, TV
Scott Leith | Atlanta Journal and Constitution | October 29th, 2000
On CBS News, Some of What You See Isn't There
Alex Kuczynski | New York Times | January 12th, 2000
Real or Virtual? You Call It; Digital Sleight of Hand Can Put Ads Almost Anywhere
Stuart Elliott | New York Times | September 30th, 1999
External Links
Madison + Vine: Product Integrators Tackle Learning Curve; Marriages of Marketers, Media are Hot, but Risks are Still Plenty
Wayne Friedman, Advertising Age | October 21, 2002
NBC Casts Vegas Casino in a Starring Role
Binkley & Nelson, The Wall Street Journal | August 5, 2003
Incorporating Consumer Promotion is Key in Maximizing Product Integration
Entertainment Marketing Letter | April 15, 2003
Fox Sports Specialty: Product 'Immersion'; Net Inks Tie-ins with Snapple, Labatt, Lincoln
Richard Linnett, Advertising Age | January 20, 2003
Hiding a Television Commercial in Plain View
Stuart Elliott, The New York Times | May 24, 2002
This Space Available: On 'The Runner,' ABC's Upcoming Reality TV Show, Advertisers Can Shape the Plot
Johnnie L. Roberts, Newsweek | May 7, 2001
WB Yet Again Leans on the 'Young' and Cliched
Eric Mink, Daily News (New York) | July 12, 2000
TV's New Teen Drama Gives Starring Role to Coke --- What $6 Million Can Buy: Soft Drink Is Everywhere In WB's Prep-School Saga
Joe Flint, The Wall Street Journal | July 12, 2000
A Video Process Allows the Insertion of Brand-name Products in TV Shows Already on Film
Stuart Elliott, The New York Times | March 29, 1999
A TV Series Supported by Product Placements Falls through for Lack of a Second Sponsor
Stuart Elliott , The New York Times | March 14, 2003
Embedded Ads in TV Stories
The Christian Science Monitor | October 1, 2003
Reruns May Become a Testing Ground for Digital Insertion of Sponsor's Products and Images
Stuart Elliott, The New York Times | May 23, 2001
Not-so-hidden Persuaders; A Word from Your Sponsor is Now a Part of the Show Itself
Douglas Durden, Richmond Times Dispatch | August 17, 2002
'Passions' Product Pitch ; NBC, Avon Weave New Cosmetics Line Into Soap Opera's Story
Leslie Ryan, Television Week | July 28, 2003
Sci-Fi Pioneers Placement Deal; In 'Unique Model' OMD Buys All Time on Cable Channel's Spring 2004 'Six Days' Miniseries
Louis Chunovic, Television Week | June 9, 2003
Here's Reality: 'Idol' Feeds Hopefuls to a Shaky Music Business
Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times | January 23, 2003
Ruben's Big Night on Idol Plays Small
Vinay Menon, Toronto Star | May 23, 2003
Facing the Music; American Idol Wraps up with Two-hour Finale
Bill Brioux, Winnipeg Sun (Manitoba, Canada)
Disney Sells a $1-Billion Ad Package; Multi-network, Multi-advertiser Deal Involves All of its Units and May be the Largest Ever in the Industry
Meg James, Los Angeles Times | June 11, 2002
Coors Tap Flows Freely on TV Show
Bill Husted, The Denver Post | July 27, 2003
Group Criticizes Product Placement
The New York Times | October 1, 2003
Advertisers Reject Consumer Group's Claim That More Regulation Is Needed
Marla Matzer Rose, The Hollywood Reporter | April 20, 2004