Produktų demonstravimo lietuviškuose vaidybiniuose filmuose ypatumai

Abstract

Product placement in movies can be called as nontraditional method of sales promotion. In recent years of information overload, people tend to ignore traditional methods of promotion. Therefore, product placement is gaining popularity in the eyes of movie creator, sponsors, business organizations, and scientific researchers. Main features of product placement in movies are its prolonged life-time, naturalness, inevitable viewers“™ attention. However, according to Daugherty and Gangadharbatla (2005), this promotional tool is less effective, while taking into account brand perceptivity; therefore, more effective in stimulating consumer interest and short-term sales. Despite its wide usage, product placement is weakly discussed by Lithuanian scholars; there is a lack of publications analysing product placement in Lithuanian movies. Lithuanian cinema industry is growing each year; this creates attractive conditions for the usage of product placement in movies. Moreover, there can be found many cases of the usage of product placement in Lithuanian movies; therefore the analysis of peculiarities of product placement in Lithuanian movies becomes relevant. The scientific problem analysed in the article is formulates as follows: how product placement is used in Lithuanian movies. The object of the article is product placement in Lithuanian movies, and the aim is to analyse the peculiarities of product placement in Lithuanian movies. Following methods were used to reveal the problem and reach the aim. Theoretical analysis of scientific literature was provided to construct the framework for the research. Researches provided by d“˜Astous and Chartier (2000), La Ferle and Edwards (2006), Gupta et al., (1998, 2000), Johnstone and Dodd (2000); Sung et al (2008), et al were analysed endeavouring to reveal different approaches to peculiarities of product placement in movies and to define guidelines for the usage of this promotional tool in Lithuanian movies. The analysis of current usage of product placement in Lithuanian movies was provided using the method of qualitative content analysis. Lithuanian movies created in 1991-2010 were chosen for the research; 355 cases of different usages of product placement and 218 different products were registered, 175 different brands (brand repetition in different movies was not estimated) were observed in the movies analysed. As the result it can be stated that the most popular product category for product placement in Lithuanian movies was found to be alcoholic beverages; also, automobile brands were popular. The research of product placement in Lithuanian movies helped to distinguish two main related problems: 1. While using product placement in Lithuanian movies, the opportunity to create positive product-associations for viewers is not exploited properly; 2. Companies do not provide the definitive model of product usage for consumers; the model should suggest viewers the possibilities of product usage. Almost a half of cases of product placement in Lithuanian movies were observed in scenes which do not create any emotions to viewer; therefore, such product placement has no emotional implications. The incomplete exploitation of the opportunities provided by product placement in movies can be called as the main problem found during the research. Business organizations endeavouring to use product placement in Lithuanian movies as a tool of promotions should consider congruence of the scenes of product usage in movies and in real life. In some cases product placement was found to be used in negative scenes; such usage of the promotional tool can affect product or brand image negatively. Moreover, a prolonged product life-time should be considered. Endeavouring to avoid latter mentioned mistakes, business organizations need to use systematic planning of product placement in movies and integrate this activity with other elements of promotional mix.