ITC Raps Channel 4’s As If Over Product Placement
The ITC has upheld complaints against an episode of Channel 4’s teenage drama series, As If, for promoting Pizza Hut within its storyline.
The episode featured a character getting a job at Pizza Hut and appearing on numerous occasions throughout the programme wearing a uniform, driving a moped and carrying pizza boxes all heavily branded with the company’s logos.
The ITC’s programming code has strict rules banning product placement and the “undue prominence” of brands during TV shows. Any reference to products or services must be limited to what can clearly be justified by the editorial requirements of the programme itself.
Channel 4 argued that the production company involved did not acquire the use of the pizza company’s props under any specific arrangement financial or otherwise and so there was no question of product placement.
The broadcaster further argued that the type of shots were common in such programmes as the use of real brands helps to strengthen the dramatic realism of the storyline. Pizza Hut was never referred to in audio and the visual shots were edited rapidly with the use of cutaways. Channel 4 also pointed out that the company’s branding was not on screen for any significant length of time.
In an attempt to clarify the use of brands in programming, the ITC has suggested that branding can be used as long as no impression is created in the viewer’s mind of external commercial influence on the editorial process.
The ITC conceded that on occasions, real brands may help to strengthen the dramatic veracity of a storyline. However, in this case the watchdog concluded that, given the preponderance of independent pizza delivery companies, an imaginary brand would have served just as well. The Commission felt that the overall prominence and air time given to the pizza company was excessive and could not be justified on editorial grounds.
Product placement is a difficult issue for broadcasters and regulators to grapple with and it is becoming become an increasingly popular vehicle for marketers seeking new ways to expose consumers to their products. The method is extremely popular in the US, where both storylines and programmes have been developed in order to deliver marketing messages.
Opponents of product placement argue it manipulates viewers who are unaware they are being targeted and can subvert the editorial values of programming. However, as product placement deals increase in big budget films such as James Bond, which is screened on both the BBC and ITV, it seems there is little chance of keeping product placement off the airwaves.
The ITC recently upheld a series of complaints against a TV ad for the Sun, which featured a man inhaling helium from a party balloon (see ITC Raps The Sun For Irresponsible Advertising).
ITC: 0207 306 7743 www.itc.org.uk
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