Effectiveness of product placement in streaming TV series: the roles of product involvement, placement prominence, and celebrity endorsement

Abstract

ABSTRACTStreaming platforms are revolutionizing the product placement practices in TV series via the embedment of brands using popular screenwriting and filmmaking techniques that could alter consumers’ perceptions and engagement. Aiming to extend the elaboration likelihood model and relevant theories, this experimental research investigated the influence of the key features of streaming TV series product placement and the interactions between them on consumers’ brand memory and attitudes. Participants (N = 347) watched pretested video clips from eight Chinese-language streaming series that featured product placements with different characteristics on a simulated streaming platform. Based on the findings that are partly inconsistent with previous literature in the context of traditional TV series, corresponding suggestions were put forward for the effective implementation of streaming series product placement to bring a win-win situation for the content producers, advertising and public relations practitioners, as well as consumers.