Definition of product placement

showing a brand name product in a feature film, television program, or other medium not typically perceived to be an advertising medium. The marketer sometimes pays a substantial fee for the placement. In other cases, the producers consider the product to be an integral part of the plot and merely request permission from the marketer. The marketer benefits from exposure to a large audience in an environment that is perceived to be objective. An added benefit is the association created between the actors or the characters they play and the product. In the film Runaway Bride, Julia Roberts boarded a FedEx truck. Another actor gave voice to FedEx's service guarantee, saying she will arrive "by 10 A.M. the next business day." After the release of E.T., sales of Reese's Pieces soared while the makers of M&Ms regretted not permitting them to be used in the film.