Why is "Product Placement" such a commonly criticized thing?

[TrippinKahlua]

Really, all I ever thought of it is giving viewers some connection with the products they already commonly buy.

Is it so wrong to show things that remind us of our everyday life?

 

[From The Uncanny Valley]

Selling out is for lesser souls.

 

[Exigent Circumcisions]

Big surprise, OP is a user whose name is the epitome of product placement.

 

[TrippinKahlua]

Selling out is for lesser souls.

This is why I made this thread. I was watching a "Cinema Sins" a moment ago, and he mentioned a character wearing Nike Brand shoes.

What if, perhaps instead of being "Product Placement", those were simply the shoes the Wardrobe apartment had?

 

[NOT Sword Fighter Super]

The last thing I want to be reminded of is my everyday life.

 

[Immortal Technique]

There's a difference between product placement in a movie and product placement with a movie centered around it. Adam Sandler movies are the perfect movies to showcase how it's done wrong.

 

[The Cunting Death]

I hate it if it takes me out of the movie.

 

[Tism the Return]

If you're gonna do product placement then at least be funny about it like the Truman Show.

 

[The Last Stand]

If it's subtle, then there is nothing wrong with it. If it's in your face half the time, then it's a problem.

Imagine a critical scene in a movie and you see this:

for a second. It would take the immersion out of the experience.

 

[Idiotron]

It's because very often, the scene in a movie/TV show/music video is designed to highlight and promote the product.
The art gets compromised so that you can watch an ad.

The worst one I've seen in a while was in Stranger Things season 3.
One group of characters got food from Burger King, then took out and named every item in their bag on screen and then, they had a 5 minute argument about what flavor of milkshake is better.
Another group of characters got into a long argument about new vs old Pepsi and they even compared the new one to John Carpenter's The Thing.
The show stopped in both of those instances in order to sell products. Suddenly, there was no plot, just a commercial.

 

[Dom Cruise]

It sucks when it's blatant and feels like a commercial, it's fine if it's just matter of fact and subtle.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

they had a 5 minute argument about what flavor of milkshake is better.

The rest of that might be product placement..but this is pure "these kids are like 13 having a bullshit argument that kids that age have"

 

[Doctor of Autism]

Like many have said it's only a problem if the film/show goes out of it's way to promote said product with no irony whatsoever.

It's okay if it's used for comedic effect or if it's just a background thing.

 

[Idiotron]

The rest of that might be product placement..but this is pure "these kids are like 13 having a bullshit argument that kids that age have"

That one was an argument between the sheriff, a Russian scientist, a tech savvy conspiracy theorist and Winona Ryder.

 

[Honka Honka Burning Love]

That one was an argument between the sheriff, a Russian scientist, a tech savvy conspiracy theorist and Winona Ryder.

As I said, they are like 13.

 

[sasazuka]

If you're gonna do product placement then at least be funny about it like the Truman Show.

It's been a while since I've seen it but didn't The Truman Show only feature fictional products, at least for the blatant in-universe product placement? I generally prefer seeing real products to fake products unless they put a lot of effort to making the fake brand seem real (i.e. "Morley Cigarettes". the Marlboro substitute seen in a whole bunch of TV shows and movies, most obviously the X-Files), but Truman Show was surreal anyway so it could get away with "fake".

 

[TrippinKahlua]

To me it just feels really petty to be complaining about something like this in a capitalist country

 

[From The Uncanny Valley]

It's because very often, the scene in a movie/TV show/music video is designed to highlight and promote the product.
The art gets compromised so that you can watch an ad.

The worst one I've seen in a while was in Stranger Things season 3.
One group of characters got food from Burger King, then took out and named every item in their bag on screen and then, they had a 5 minute argument about what flavor of milkshake is better.
Another group of characters got into a long argument about new vs old Pepsi and they even compared the new one to John Carpenter's The Thing.
The show stopped in both of those instances in order to sell products. Suddenly, there was no plot, just a commercial.

Stranger Things is fucking cancer.

 

[WhoBusTank69]

I had to put down my can of Royal Crown Cola to open this thread and all I feel besides being cheated is a thirst that can be quenched only by the faint and inoffensive imitation Coke taste of Royal Crown Cola.

 

[Idiotron]

To me it just feels really petty to be complaining about something like this in a capitalist country

We already have to pay for the entertainment we watch.
If they want to shill products, the entertainment attached to it should be free, I don't like paying to see ads.