Verisimilitude or advertising? Brand appearances on prime-time television

This paper outlines the policy debate surrounding the commercial practice of product placement and documents brand appearances on prime-time television using 112 hours of programming from four major networks. A content analysis is used to explore the manifest and latent aspects of brand portrayal. Results indicate that brands are prolific in this medium, with the majority appearing in coverage of live or topical events. The majority of brands appearing in scripted programs suitable for passive persuasion are subtly displayed. Those prominently displayed are reinforced by character interaction and inextricably intertwined with the story line. Future research directions and public policy implications are explored.