This has raised concerns from public health officials, because these product placements can influence the country?s youth to start smoking.

Appearances of tobacco on screen may cause adolescents, with their impressionable minds, to try smoking off screen. Health officials fear that the influx of young smokers will lead to more health problems in the future.

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Total spending on product placement in Europe – including television, films, internet, videogames, recorded music and other media – was essentially flat at $610 million in 2009, but is poised to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.2% in the 2009-2014 period, according to the fourth edition of the PQ Media Global Branded Entertainment Marketing Forecast 2010-2014 (http://www.pqmedia.com/brandedentertainmentforecast2010-read.html). Global product placement spending – including North America, Europe, Asia and other regions – dipped 0.3% in 2009 to $6.25 billion, as the U.S. market declined 2.8% to $3.61 billion, the first decline in product placement spending since PQ Media began tracking the industry in 1975. The U.S. remained the largest market, and strong double-digit gains from 2005 through 2008 drove double-digit growth during this period.

While product placement spending decreased slightly in 2009, primarily due to the massive economic recession, it was much less affected than traditional advertising and marketing spending, which declined at double-digit rates worldwide. And the European markets are primed for strong growth over the next several years, according to PQ Media.

“Despite the cyclical decline in global product placement spending in 2009, driven primarily by the severe recession, the secular trends favor the resumption of relatively strong growth for this marketing strategy going forward,” said Patrick Quinn, CEO of PQ Media. “Our research indicates that a marketing strategy which empowers brands to develop emotional connections with target consumers through desired entertainment content will continue to receive a growing portion of marketing budgets.”

Product placement has been more controversial in Europe than in the U.S. due to a history of stricter advertising regulations. However, as a result of declining government outlays, competition from rapidly emerging digital media and growing DVR penetration, the European media industry – particularly television and film – have increased pressure on the European Union and individual regulatory agencies in various countries to loosen restrictions. The E.U. recently passed law allowing a mix of editorial and advertising under certain conditions, while allowing member countries to write their own rules. The E.U. also made clear that product placement must be transparent to viewers at the start and end of TV programs and commercial breaks, while forbidding tobacco ads and banning placements in children’s programs, documentaries and news programs.

While OfCom in the U.K. has proposed a new set of looser regulations that are expected to be approved in some form this year, France and Spain have already marched forward. France is already the largest European market for product placement in all media, followed by Italy, the U.K., Germany, Spain and Russia, although Russia is the fastest-growing market. Germany has been one of the most vocal opponents of relaxed product placement rules on TV and, as a result, placements tend to appear mostly in film and other media. PQ Media predicts total product placement spending in TV, film, internet, videogames, recorded music and other media will grow at double-digit rates in each of the leading European markets in the 2009-2014 period, particularly from 2011 to 2014, driven by wider acceptance of more liberal rules. France will remain the largest European market in 2014 at $283 million, followed by the U.K., while Russia will be the fastest-growing market with a 31.2% CAGR, followed by the U.K., according to the PQ Media Global Branded Entertainment Marketing Forecast 2010-2014 (http://www.pqmedia.com/brandedentertainmentforecast2010-read.html)

A free executive summary of the PQ Media Global Branded Entertainment Marketing Forecast 2010-2014 is available for download and the full report is available for purchase at http://www.pqmedia.com/brandedentertainmentforecast2010-read.html

About PQ Media
PQ Media (www.pqmedia.com) is the world’s leading provider of media econometrics and pioneer of alternative media research. PQ Media delivers actionable strategic intelligence to the world’s leading media companies, financial institutions, management consulting firms, media agencies and brands. PQ Media’s proven and respected consulting services and research reports have empowered its clients with exclusive data and insights on media spending, usage and trends across all 20 major segments and more than 100 sub-segments to effectively navigate a rapidly changing media landscape. PQ Media also partners with Veronis Suhler Stevenson on the renowned VSS Communications Industry Forecast, the industry’s benchmark for spending, consumption and forecast data for 24 years.

In fact, European regulators are implementing strict rules and regulations about product placement.

Contrary to the approach in the US, European regulators do not want to conceal product placements. They want the consumers to know that certain products are being sold to the audience through media.

Product placement disclaimers will be aired before and after shows that featured them.

Doesn?t that make the placements less effective?

Balla Bowl, an animation movie seen on Cartoon Network, will feature Center Fruit?a candy brand?in the movie as a championship trophy sponsor. The film will is produced by Turner International and Animasia, and will premiere on August 29.

?We knew the film presented us the scope to integrate a brand and Perfetti seemed eager to partner with us,? explained Rohit Sarma, executive director of Network Ad Sales for Turner International India.

It was actually the writers and producers who arranged the product placement with Perfetti, the manufacturer of Center Fruit.

Apart from the trophy, the Center Fruit brand will also have other appearances in the movie. For instance, some sports players will wear uniforms that have the Center Fruit logo.

Source: sify finance

What else can come out of this movie? Well, product placements.

Whenever you get this much testosterone on the screen, it will attract brands and advertisers.

In New Orleans, the Expendables ride in custom-made choppers save for Lee Christmas (played by Statham), who rides a red Ducati motorcycle. Christmas also uses a Canon SLR camera for recon missions.

The tablet recently appeared on Modern Family, a comedy show that is nominated for an impressive 14 Emmys.

In ?iCarly? the iPad also made a surprise appearance?in a different form that is. In the show, the main characters brother organized an event using his ?pear pad? (obviously a knock-off of the Apple product).

It does not come as a surprise as Apple has been consistently working to land roles for its products in television shows and films.

Last April, European Union (EU) regulators began allowing product placement in European television. Due to the recession, European producers and channels were quick to capitalize on the opportunity.

Prominent brands like M&M, Alfa Romeo, Nokia, and BMW began making appearances on European television shows.

These brands are not strangers to product placement. They have been investing in product placement for a long time in the United States (US). However, the case in Europe is different.

Until recently, regulators were afraid to allow product placements because it could compromise the show?s creative integrity.

However, due to the recession, the playing field changed. Advertisers and networks began entertaining the idea to make up for lost revenue.

Cellular phone manufacturers have taken advantage of this by integrating their products with Hollywood movies. Among the more prominent brands are Apple and Nokia?which both have the most recognizable logos in the industry.

Here?s a rough list of cell phones that made shining appearances in the silver screen:

??? ?Sony Ericsson secured placements in the latest Bond films and The Da Vinci Code
??? ?Nokia made prominent appearances in Bourne Ultimatum, The Matrix, Wanted, and Transformers
??? ?Apple had product placements in Percy Jackson and the lightning thief

You can expect more mobile product placements in upcoming Hollywood blockbusters.

Source: Best Mobile Contracts Blog