TD Canada Trust product placement triggers debate

TD Canada Trust has signed a product placement deal with CBC-TV. The renowned banking company will appear in three of the network?s shows?Being Erica, Little Mosque on the Prairie, and Heartland.

 While the United States is no stranger to product placement, it is a fairly new advertising method in Canada. However, CBC general manager of sales and marketing Scott Moore feels that product placement has promise, especially for their network.

He says that one of the advantages CBC will have us that it is a trusted home of Canadian content.
The statistics agree with Moore?s conclusions. In the past two years, the network has produced 10 times more revenue from product placement deals and the numbers should continue to grow.

Of course, there are also those who oppose the growth of product placement television. According to Ryerson University?s Jeffrey Dvorkin, product placement can undermine the network?s role. Also, Ian Morrison?spokesperson for Friends of Canadian Broadcasting?is worried on how CBC product placements will affect taxpayer funding for public broadcasts in Canada.

However, at these times, broadcasters have no choice but to accept the money. The recession has really depleted the funds of media companies around the globe. And they need alternative revenue sources (like product placement) to keep content productions afloat.

Whether it?s a temporary solution to a big problem or a permanent arrangement for networks, product placement is definitely here to stay?for now.

Source: Macleans.CA