Product placement: On the pedestal
Product placement is nothing new, but there are increasingly creative ways to incorporate brands into movies and TV shows. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that the brands take center stage.
When Switzerland’s funniest cops go on the hunt for criminals, surprises are practically guaranteed. But the unexpected plots and twists that the cult cops experience in every episode of the popular series «Tschugger» were surpassed in the third season by a very special co-star: the Polestar 2, which everyone at the police station is dying to get behind the wheel of. Time and again, the plot revolves around the turquoise car—it even bears the cantonal police insignia. But the Polestar isn’t just a police car that the «Tschugger» team zooms around the Valais in; it’s a prime example of just how creative modern product placement can be. Advertising expert Daniel Zuberbühler, founder and managing partner of the agency Sir Mary—which also represents Polestar (though not for product placement activities)—describes it as a «very long, very successful commercial,» and that pretty much sums up the car’s appearance in the series. After all, the vehicle isn’t just a prop—it’s firmly integrated into the plot as a character in its own right.
«There was only one important restriction for the production team: the car wasn't allowed to explode.»
«When producer Sophie Toth reached out to us, we knew right away that we wanted to provide the Polestar,» says Nadine Romero, Head of Marketing Switzerland at Polestar. «Our goal was to create an authentic and organic product placement that would blend seamlessly into the story. Instead of blatant logo inserts, we wanted the Polestar to become a natural part of the plot.» And they succeeded—in such a subtle way, in fact, that some viewers even felt the Polestar’s presence was too inconspicuous. «But from our perspective, that would have been exactly the wrong approach. A successful product placement is most effective when it integrates subtly and believably into the story.»
Part of the story
That’s exactly what makes for successful product placement, according to Jeannine-Denise Stuiber of Particibrand (see interview): The product should be an authentic part of the story—integrated naturally and not too intrusive. «Tschugger» pulled this off—in part because the brand managers «gave the creative team free rein to use the car in whatever way best served the story,» says Romero.
It’s important that the brand and content complement each other. «These platforms are often entertainment »love brands.’ The integrated brand can enhance the content to boost the brand’s appeal. Even when clearly labeled, good placements don’t come across as promotional but rather as authentic. When the content is a good fit, it creates an ideal fusion of the format and the brand—far removed from a traditional ad break,” explains Leonie Strack, Deputy Service Client Director at the media agency Unbound Media (formerly Crossmedia).
Virtual Placements Are Trending
This also goes over well with viewers, especially when the product placements are supplemented by accompanying special ads. For example, a companion study by Ad Alliance on various elements of Samsung’s campaigns in «Gute Zeiten, schlechte Zeiten» revealed particularly high recognition rates and increased uplift. Not only did the show’s actors use smartphones, smartwatches, and headphones from the electronics giant, but there were also cut-ins and virtual placements on billboards featured in the daily soap opera. In this process, brands are integrated into finished TV content after the fact and placed on billboards or other surfaces. Kerstin Bensch, also a founder and managing director of Particibrand, sees this as one of the most important trends in product placement: «The advantage is that virtual placements can be booked with short lead times and fixed durations. On the other hand, you can’t integrate brands as natively into the storyline as with traditional placements. Digital placements are therefore a good complement. Virtual placement spaces are now established advertising products, similar to special ads.»
Virtual product placements are also being used more and more frequently in movies—such as Nokia’s appearance in the James Bond film *No Time to Die*. Because the movie’s theatrical release had been delayed so long due to the pandemic that the smartphones featured in the film were already outdated, the older models were quickly replaced with newer ones using virtual technology. This was made possible by the AI-powered solution from Mirriad, which found that 85 percent of viewers like virtual product placements, 83 percent find them natural, and consumers prefer them ten times more than traditional advertising.
This is a major advantage for advertisers, as media expert Strack sees process and planning certainty as the biggest challenges when it comes to product placement. «This applies in particular to lead times and the veto power of broadcasters or production teams—especially when it comes to major TV shows. Extensive product placements have now become an integral part of holistic communication planning. This often means, for example, that point-of-sale (POS) initiatives must be coordinated with their own lead times and framework conditions. The real problem quickly arises when, for example, the production team changes broadcast dates at short notice, or when the production lead time is so long that the products to be integrated aren’t even available yet for the actual campaign period.»
Don't let it explode!
Another challenge is finding the right content—and that’s harder today than ever before, says Bensch: «Never before has there been so much good, innovative content tailored to specific target audiences, but that also means it’s harder than ever to keep track of it all. We need to be familiar with this abundance of content, screen it, and derive recommendations for advertisers from it.»
If this is achieved, successful product placement is a real plus—and not just for the brands themselves. They «benefit from the program’s full reach, the brand’s unique positioning, and a positive image transfer. Characters from the content are seen as brand ambassadors. This builds trust in the integrated products and leads to positive associations,» explains the expert. And viewers also benefit, because they see a form of advertising that isn’t perceived as disruptive but instead offers real added value through its integration.
For SRF and the production company Shining, collaborating with sponsors—while adhering to the legal framework governing product placement—is also a win, because they retain editorial control. Just as with «Tschugger.» In this case, there was only one important restriction for the show’s team: the car was not allowed to explode.
INTERVIEW
«Incorporate product placement early on»
Jeannine-Denise Stuiber, founder and CEO of Particibrand, explains what you need to keep in mind to make a real impact with product placement.
m&k: Ms. Stuiber, what makes for successful product placement?
Jeannine-Denise Stuiber: Product placement is successful when a product or service is an authentic part of the story and is positively associated with and remembered by viewers or users. But it’s not just the brand that benefits; producers, broadcasters, and streaming platforms also gain advantages from product placement: On the one hand, the content offers a realistic portrayal of society with all its trends and tendencies. Integrating brands helps convey this in a credible way. On the other hand, it represents a source of revenue that, in times of tighter production budgets, can contribute to production value—if not to the project’s very realization.
What mistakes should be avoided?
Above all, it comes down to the optimal brand-target audience fit between the brand and the content. In the worst-case scenario, an ill-fitting product can lead to reactance. Media law—more specifically, the State Media Treaty, which regulates product placement—prevents us from highlighting the product too heavily on TV. Regardless of this, brand managers should always advocate for the native integration of their products and refrain from overly obvious or even intrusive presentation.
How can we address the topic strategically into brand communication Include?
The most important thing is to incorporate product placement early on. Ideally, the product placement agency is involved alongside or through the creative agency. At this stage, the strategy is in place and the conceptual phase begins, which can then be developed hand in hand to leverage synergies and ensure that the tone of the brand’s communication is incorporated into the product placement.
This article first appeared in the print edition of m&k, No. 1-2/2025.
