How much product placement is too much?

I’m sure many of you saw the NBC remake “made-for-TV” movie of Knight Rider and I’m sure like me many of you were hoping and excited by the possibilities of KITT stopping international crime again and again. I watched with anticipation and baited breath. With the start of the show my love for the series was slowly shattered and I say it wasn’t because the new remake was cheesy (although it was a bit) it was because of the overt, loud, in-your-face advertisement for Ford.

For starters KITT is a Ford Mustang Shelby Edition, of which, I’m actually happy about, it looks good. But moving beyond that every vehicle is a Ford which wouldn’t be the first time Ford or any other advertiser overstayed their welcome in television or films. However, there were so many action shots of every vehicle it begins to make you sick, it began to look like a horrible, ugly, exasperating commercial that would never get to the story. The only non-Ford vehicle that was shown was a GMC Yukon (with all the signage removed) and it was only in the show for a few moments right before it was in a crash, which the Mustang (KITT) was not harmed.

The show is not miserable or unbearable but the bad tact used by Ford WOULD make me stop watching. I actually believe in embedded advertising as it can be effective and help move units if executed correctly.

Here’s a few ideas how not to be ridiculous in your embedded (product placement) advertising:

1. Don’t say the name of the product over and over
2. Don’t show the product out of place of the story or show
3. Don’t let your advertiser dictate to you what to do (Your audience loves you for a reason, don’t betray them)
4. Don’t always show the product features (Use it yourself, you know your audience, let them engage)
5. Consider practical use (In Knight Rider the bad guys drove a Ford Edge, nice car but highly unlikely for a goons vehicle)
6. Advertisers don’t care how your audience views you (You do, or should, treat them accordingly, they made you who you are)
7. Don’t be afraid to be daring with the product (The advertiser wants results, if you can bring it, they don’t care how you do it)