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The Power of Prop - Insider tips on product placement

Our Head of Brand Integration, Toby Denholm, provides a little insight into the simple difference between 'Prop' and 'Paid' product placement in the UK and then gives some solid advice on WHO you need to work with to bring success to your brand on screen.

Right then, don't take this the wrong way, but why do you always reference Wayne's World when it comes to product placement? I know I know, it's probably the most infamous film with 'silly' placings of brands, in like, all of history, but it seriously undermines all the great, hard work that brands, productions and placement "gurus" like us put into our day-to-day, so be nice, yeah, and stop referencing the world of Wayne….

I'm sorry, I admit, we got off on the wrong foot there for a minute, so allow me to explain. Product Placement is a creative meeting of minds and when done 'correctly' can be hugely impactful, influential and certainly doesn't need to be overt (ala Wayne). My Mission Possible (cheers Tom) is to integrate brands, ‘correctly’, so that when I say to people "We work in product placement" their response won't be "Oh, what, like in Wayne's World", it'll be "That's some pretty cool marketing work there" or something to that effect anyway. 

What is product placement done 'correctly'? The key word here is authenticity. What a character wears, eats, drinks, buys, drives, uses etc will have a much more positive impact on the storyline, if the marriage of the brand + character is synonymous (authentic) to the situation and setting they both find themselves in. You almost don't want to outwardly notice the brand/product per se, but more accept it and it becomes ingrained into the core of the character and situation.

And how does one achieve this? Well, another huge misconception from outside of the world of product placement is that it's all about brands throwing money at producers and there's lots of hustle & bustle, wheeling & dealing until the price is right and all is agreed. Now, whilst money is often exchanged (forming a significant part of the industry), the bulk of branded products and services that you and I see on our screens will have come from 'prop' placement, not paid placement. And the key to this is who you know versus how much cash money you've got. And the people you need to know are; The Art Department.

FRUKT placed McDonald's in 'Kingsman: The Secret Service'

And who are they? The Art Department is a team made up of Production Designers, Art Directors, Set Decorators, Prop Masters, Prop Buyers, Graphic designers and many many more hugely talented folk who are absolutely integral to bringing the visual identity of a piece of content to life……. And when it comes to the use of branded products, these are the guys that make the creative decisions. They choose the laptops that get typed on, the phones that get answered, the drinks that get drunk and the food that gets eaten, all by your favourite TV and film characters on screen. So, if you get to know these people, like we do, then you'll be well on your way to getting your brand on screen.

I've pulled out a couple of great authentic examples where the brand, product, setting and character all find themselves nicely aligned, successfully feeding into the content narrative.

BROMPTON

Show: W1A
Channel: BBC
Character: Ian Fletcher, Head of Values at the BBC, played by Hugh Bonneville.
Why it works? Ian Fletcher is slightly incompetent in his role as Head of Values at the BBC, so to give him the most comprehensive, complete modern day bike is a smart nod to the comedic value of the show. We see Ian struggle every morning to fold the bike, exposing his shortcomings and incompetence at every day tasks / common sense. It in turn it makes the bike look a bit too cool and sophisticated for our Ian, elevating the image of the brand.

Toyota Prius

Film: LA LA Land
Setting: Hollywood
Why it works? Although our lead character, Mia, played by the Oscar winning actress, Emma Stone, drives the Prius on numerous occasions throughout the film, the stand out placement is a moment when we don't even see the Prius itself. Mia, on leaving a star studded party in the Hollywood hills, asks the valet for her keys. The wry smile that the valet gives her when she tells him it's a Prius tells you all you need to know about what the most popular, over subscribed car is for Hollywood's green and eco conscious A-listers.