Is Social Media the way forward for Product Placement?

As R Mandelberg of social media site, ‘Ghost tweeting’ quoted this year:

 “As early as the late 19th century, advertisers recognized the value of product placement as a vehicle for increasing their brands’ visibility.” (2013).

Nowadays, advertising has dramatically had to re-invent itself. ‘Traditional’ advertising such as posters, leaflets, billboards, T.V and radio commercials have become less effective in popular culture: consumers and audiences have subconsciously grown an animosity and insusceptible approach and attitude towards these forms of marketing. 

With the rise of internet, advertising groups have recognised its potential for marketing- with popular media sites including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter and most recently Instagram providing a gateway to potential audiences. However, it seems that audiences still dread ‘blatant’ advertising while browsing the internet. As S.Karp of Publishing 2.0 explains,

 “People have no patience for the [adverts], as they did in traditional media, where we were habituated to looking at print ads or watching TV commercials.”

Research by Dr Jakob Nielsen also highlights this: 

“Now, when people go online they know what they want and how to do it, he said. This makes them very resistant to highlighted promotions or other editorial choices that try to distract them. Web users have always been ruthless and now are even more so. People want sites to get to the point, they have very little patience.” (S.Karp: 2008)

So what future does Advertising have in Modern Culture? 

Product placement is not a new technique, yet its escalation in the media world has truly expanded. 

Think of many of your favourite television programmes- Modern Family, Friends, Emmerdale, The Big Bang Theory, (Think of American Idol where they have the 'blurred' out Coca-Cola cups, which the Uk has no allowed to show) these and many, many more, use products in their sets and scripts. 
The brand or company pays to have its products 'placed' into the scene or script of a show or series and is then broadcasted an air- hey presto, a 'product placement' is created. 

Ahhh...a classic example.

Hmm..seems they got sick of drinking Coca-Cola turned camera faced round.

Product Placement has recently been allowed fully on U.K Television screens, yet advertisers are quick to realise its potential to consumers on the internet also. For example, Bloggers and Youtube ‘Vloggers’ are often paid by advertisers to use, rate and comment on specific products, thus easing the consumer into wanting the product, rather than being bombarded by advertisements. 




So what media devices are popular currently in modern culture/society?


http://www.statista.com/statistics/222698/consumer-trust-in-different-types-of-advertising/



<a href="http://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/279903/umfrage/apps-mit-dem-groessten-

Social app, ‘Vine’ is one of the most popular and profitable apps in the web market. If you don't know already (really? seriously though, really??) the Vine app allows users to create a short video clip up to 6-7 seconds long and can be shared amongst other Vine and Twitter users. Certain users have also become famous from making these short videos and have daily subscribers to their vines. 

Watch Vines infamous hero,  Jerome Jarre Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MpEUd_jnVE

On September 9, 2013, Dunkin Donuts became the first company to use a single Vine as an entire television advertisement ( Adweek., 2013), there is still potential for product placement with this popular app.  

In the next few weeks I will experiment  by making my own 'Vine' clips. Within those clips I will place items for product placement and see the results-

Will product placement affect this funny, non commercial media app?

Will it promote the sales of the company I use in my video?

Or will it go completely unnoticed?

In the next few weeks I'll update my blog on these Vines and see its results n a few weeks time.

What I also want to know, from you guys, is how you feel about Product Placement-

Do you prefer it to those constant T.V breaks, and pop up breaks that show up on Youtube?

Or do you feel Product Placement ruins the authenticity of medias used for people by people?

Is Product Placement really a good thing? Is it worse to be subconsciously lay products in front of your eyes rather than it being fed straight to you?

Or even do you feel there's other methods of advertising that need to be considered?

What is for certain, is that advertising needs to be more creative and unique-

and If product placement is their only Plan B, will is huge Industry survive much longer? 

-please comment and let me know your thoughts.

'Shelf Life'- Inspiring Home Ideas.

http://www.pinterest.com/magsatron

Doesn't sound like the most interesting of posts- but there is a true shelf 'fetishism' that has bloggers, 'Pinteresters' and bona-fied home lovers alike being smitten by the simplistic, quirky charm of shelves.

Whether they're hanging, floating, balancing- you name it, there's something about these modern ledges that are mesmerising, marvellous and what becomes a simple feature of a house becomes the centre piece of the home.

Whether you are looking for some DIY inspiration or working on a home project, here's some of my favourite designs for you to adore.

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/diy-project-idea-how-to-make-a-modern-pegboard-shelving-system-199246

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/244038873531177739/

http://blogg.skonahem.com/mormorsglamour/2014/01/23/ommoblering-i-koket/

'Rolling Shelf by Catherine Green

http://ournerdhome.com

The best type of 'shelf'- the bed shelf ...The possibilities are endless.

So it's Your Friend's Birthday and You're Broke...

...Here is some guidance from those of you who seem to have all of your friends (and including myself) born in the extremely awkward time of year that is January.

Here is few little beauties I picked up today to add to my friends birthday present from Topshop and Pound land- a few ideas you could use yourself if you're super strapped for cash..

So pick these little £1, yes £1 inspirations while you can.

(Sorry photos are a bit grainy)

Topshop Charity Bracelets in an array of designs and colours- £1. 

These Beautiful, colourful sleeping masks for the eyes.

£1 each from Poundland.

Don't get me wrong, the brand 'Astor' does not sound very recognisable, nor very appealing. 

However, these lip pens with balm are the exact joup of Rimmel's Thousand kisses Lip Tint.  Dare I say, these are even better.

Colours from left to right: 

105 Pink Bloom, 103 Rosewood Blush and 260 Tequila Sunrise-

 £1 Poundland.

Poundland tend to stock a few make-up gems from time to time- this week I got hold of this beautiful Loreal Paris Colour Riche Nail Polish in a dark ink navy. Very tiny but packs a punch.

Colour in 701 Midnight Mistress- £1 at Poundland.

And to go with your intense nail polish, this cute hair bow with polka-dot and cat print with feminise it up. 

Poundland- £1.

So, there you go, no excuses from here on in..

Let's just hope my friend (and your friends) don't see this post.

#CheapSkateMates.

Mags x.

Started from the bottom...

Where to start when beginning a Blog?

A cheesy paragraph on reflection I suppose.

Back in the day when I left school,  we were forced into the imaginary, fool proof belief/idea of going straight to University- leave the country, go away for 4 years and boom, there’s your ideal job right in the palm of your hand.

Many of my friends and family did this-

 £20,000 in debt and a job at your local takeaway somehow seemed unappealing for me.

When I was 18 I had no idea what I wanted to do, living in Belfast trying to find your niche is about as easy as squeezing an elephant through a whole in a needle- that’s right, worse than a camel analogy.

I tried to experiment and find out what exactly my niche was- firstly I studied a Foundation Year of Art and Design which I thoroughly enjoyed- yet I didn’t push myself hard enough and I left still wondering about my options.

That decision led me into my other passion: Journalism.

For two years I studied Broadcast Journalism. I got experience my love and passion for radio, technology, Television, Arts, culture- and expressing  peoples varied opinions and ideas. 

However, the course lacked any substance, the college had no funding for real projects, no placement opportunities and no jobs prospects.  I was a confused and lost 18 year old all over again.

Before I drag this post into sounding evermore melancholy, there was an experience that I want to share: it wasn’t anything special, nor would it stand out in most people’s memories. 

But for me, it meant getting off my arse and trying something that was always at the back of my mind..

I was waiting on a bus home after a long day of dreary class at the beginning of December - it was cold, the traffic was heavy and the bus wasn’t going to come for at least half an hour. I was having to stay at my mum’s place that night, as my house mates had destroyed our flat to the point where I was stepping on shards of glass, there was mould  and sick on the walls and carpets and there a haze through the corridors because of the smoke- 5 months in. Was getting a bit miffed.

Beside me at the bus stop was a mature, short, blonde haired woman beside me. She was wearing a warm fleecy coat, red gloves, her make up done perfectly and a warm gentle smile.

She asked me if I knew what time her bus was coming at. After that we started speaking about being home for Christmas and what we were excited for this year.

She told me, “Oh its family of course, I can’t wait to see my daughter…I had her when I was 15, I raised her by myself while I worked while travelling across the world. You name a place in the world, I’ve been there. See you weren’t allowed contraception back then…

When she grew up, we both got married on the same day. And she had my granddaughter on my birthday. I now have 20 grandchildren in total and half of them live with me. It's great.”

I asked her, “Really? Are you thinking of having more kids?”

“Of course not love, I’m 85 years old…oh, there’s my bus. Get home safe.”

Holy Crap.

 I thought this woman was in her late fifties or even early sixties- not 85 years old! How graceful she was and looked- she had an incredible life story from someone who lived in the estate around the corner. What amazed me was she told me her incredible life story in a matter of minutes-  heck I wish I got to speak to her more.

And after that, I made a few changes. I passed my course, worked over the Summer and moved to the South of England to study Promotional Media. And now I am focused on the Media Industry more than ever.

And this is where my blog begins.

This blog isn’t going to be about me, its about the things around me, how I feel, what I like/dislike, what inspires me and most importantly, to create a blogging community with other fellow bloggers, who may inspire me or have similar stories as I do.

If your'e reading this, or even feel just like me- 'mon in and join!

So for the next while, I will ramble, rant, review and reflect…

And like that woman I met at the bus stop- I’ll just go with the flow of things!

Life’s too short.

'Wasted time' Source- etsy.com/pinterest/letterpress.