PressEthic

It's near impossible to see a movie or TV show these days that doesn't include a wealth of product placements. Some shows seem to be built around it: episodes of The Apprentice (Trump and Stewart versions included) often seem like elaborate advertisements-- a new take on the infomercial.

This week, the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild are calling for full disclosure (via adrants.com) at the beginning of programs, to avoid double-secret advertising.

I can see how this makes sense. Writers who include products into their plot (think of characters buying new cars or doing any sort of shopping) want the viewers to know that someone is getting paid to represent a certain version of reality to them, so that they'll buy things. The need for transparency in advertising is important to everyone-- no one wants to be made a fool, or a puppet for that matter.

My main problem with this is that the product placement is already pretty clear. Of course, I'm not everyone, and I only know a limited sampling of people, but I can't think of anyone who doesn't know that when the girls on Top Model squeal over CoverGirl makeup, it's a product spot. I enjoy picking these out in movies and tv shows; it's like a game.

Of course I realize that's naive. Children are inundated with product information all the time, and this is one more way to keep them from noticing it. If I am watching a TV show and zoning out, or conversely really into it, I'd bet I'm less consciously perceptive of this passive advertising.

In the end, there's too much money involved. Call me cynical, but I don't think that the studios are going to go for it, or that federal regulators are going to step up to the plate.

As an interesting aside, the AP article mentions that this request is part of a larger push to unionize reality TV employees. If there ever was a group who needed a union, they're it. Reality TV workers are transiant; work long hours; are paid little, and rarely hourly; and often don't have benefits. Reality TV is cheap to make and rife with advertising; this partly why there's so much of it on television these days.

I'm unsure about this connection though. There's no effort to explain the claim that this request is behind the WGA's effort to unionize those who produce reality TV. Where does Gary Gentile get this? I don't see a solid connection.

I guess for now I'll just stick with the Price is Right. There you know it's advertising.