From next week, you’ll start to see this logo appear for 3 seconds at the start and end of every TV show and film featuring product placement, as brands are allowed, for the first time, to pay for the inclusion of their products in shows broadcasted in the UK. The simple and easily recognisable logo is totally fit-for-purpose, but unlike most logos, its application is a legal requirement that will be used reluctantly rather than as a proud stamp of origin.
You’re unlikely to notice the products that large corporations will pay to include in a huge range of non-BBC programmes. The effect is intended to be subliminal, altering your purchasing decisions without you even being aware of it!
With an increasing number of TV viewers now able to fast-forward through advert breaks, paying to feature a product or brand within the programme is a more cost-effective way of reaching a large audience. EA Games and Club 18-30 have already set the wheels in motion for their product placement campaigns.