Ad rules shaken, not stirred with product placement

WE all know James Bond drinks Martini but soon we could be up on Deirdre Barlow’s preferred brand of vodka and Dot Cotton’s breakfast cereal of choice.

Normally the preserve of US films and TV programmes, product placement is about to

hit Europe after EU governments unanimously agreed to allow this type of advertising. Irish-made television shows could become vastly more profitable but more like James Bond films, which have been described as one long ad for watches, vodka and cars.

The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland said it would review its ban on product placement in light of the EU directive. However, children’s and informational programmes across Europe will remain off limits. Companies pay huge sums of money to have their product used and displayed in all kinds of media from films and video games to cartoons and TV programmes. Up until now, while European firms could pay to have goods featured in US-made media, product placement was banned in most of the EU.

Some countries, such

as Germany, wanted to keep the ban but were persuaded to lift it in exchange for countries being allowed to set their own tough standards.

Viewers will be told there is “paid-for product placement” in shows Programme makers only have to respect the rules of their own nation under the country of origin principle, even if these breach the rules where the programme is shown.

Broadcasting Commission chief executive Michael O’Keeffe said his group would not want Irish media disadvantaged compared with other countries “We will review the [advertising] code and we will have to bear in mind what happens in Britain as about 40% of the viewing public watches British TV,” he said.

Britain was very supportive of the EU changing the rules and is expected to change its own code to allow product placement.

The rules are part of revised Television Without Frontiers legislation and also cover general advertising such as the amount of time that can be set aside for ads.

Broadcasters can now spend 12 minutes an hour on ads, instead of a limit of three hours a day. Viewers will have the length of time between ad breaks shortened from 45 minutes to 30 minutes.