Learning Process

From 28th July:

Why do we have to keep explaining everything to death? A need to justify and contextualise design is increasingly letting daylight in on magic and typically makes the design in question look less, rather than, more impressive. Propping up design with explanation suggests it cannot speak for itself, that there is a ‘trick’ being played. The best design simply ‘is’. But the PR industry just won’t or can’t stop. [Amos, 2011]

The juxtaposition of positivity and negativity can be reduced to the most simple marks known: + and -. They are very simple, and minimal visually, but their context is vast in many different aspects – take, for example, a juxtaposition of colour – cultures signify black and white in different ways; black is the default colour for a traditional funeral in the Western society, whereas Eastern cultures are usually white. Black, in English history, represented dignity, respect and of spiritual reflection; Queen Victoria wore black for the majority of her reign to mourn for the loss of her beloved husband Prince Albert.

Who is to know whether culture of bad and evilness, who knows that black = evil? Or white = evil? Death = black in british culture, and white in Chinese culture – why is Chinese culture white? Or rather more specifically, who was to discover the meaning of ‘bad’, and ‘evil’, differentiating between ‘good’ in the first place? In a religious sense, it would be the Bible.

The Bible, essentially, is an archaic storybook that tells the life of Christ throughout the centuries, passed down by many different generations, told to children and adults alike, making it accessible for all ages to understand (and perhaps embrace) religion. In Elizabeth Tucker’s report The Dramatization of Children’s Narratives, Tucker explains that  (1980, p.184)

Most stories are told in the single dimension of the human voice. Through the young narrator’s blending of traditional and creative elements, the story gradually unfolds and comes to life for its listeners.

The modern-day influence of narrative is no different, with copywriters, marketers and advertisers loitering around the sweet and innocent vocabulary, we are influenced everyday to buy their products by being dictated to with the product, and combined with our increasingly materialistic culture,  our associations between the brands and ourselves (how we will be portrayed if we used this brand), we are sold.

Summary of findings and questions so far before the Summer Break:

• Product placement is an adult invention, perhaps something which may be too advanced for children, whom are still developing mentally
• A  new materialistic culture has been produced as a result of the adult concept of product placement and advertising; the increase in commercialisation of childhood has dynamically changed the development of children
• How is an idea implanted into a child's mind? Can be begin to implant brands as necessities, as the power of choice is beginning to develop in childrens’ minds?
• Can negative/positive experiences for children be branded?
• What is the difference between the media ‘idea’ and the cultural ‘idea’. Is an idea therefore, the driving force for all communications? If so, what drives the idea?

Bibliography
Amos, S. (2011) jkr: Design Gazette [online] <available at:http://www.jkr.co.uk/design-gazette/2012-olympic-medals-silver-for-design-a-bronze-for-pr-speak/> [accessed 27 July]
Tucker, E. (1980) The Dramatization of Children’s Narratives. [Online] Western Folklore, Vol. 39, No. 3, Children’s Folklore pp. 184-197 <available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1499800> [accessed 16 July]

From June 30 –

When asking the specific question whether or not product placement can have a positive brand exposure towards children, there are several points which have to clarified first before delving into something as specific as this;

• What is product placement?
• Why do we need product placement?
• How do we, as consumers perceive targeted advertising?
• Advertising’s role for brands
• What products are targeted towards children?
• How does product placement benefit / damage brands?
• Current situation in the UK with product placement legislation

   
As Twitter extraordinaire and founder of Alltop Guy Kawasaki once said “If you make meaning, you make money”, how do brands create meaning for the consumers, particularly through advertising?
   
From the vast amounts of reading written by media and advertising specialists, the vast world of media is a forever evolving spectrum that allows advertisers to play with consumers’ minds with the growing list of outlets for exposure. Advertisers have to continuously find new and innovative ways to tap into those markets with something new to try and gain attention from the overload of information and advertising ‘noise’; it almost seems that the “purpose of advertising is to cut through other people’s advertising…” (Niinimäki, 2009)
   
Within the reading so far, the majority of the authors seem to describe the power of image manipulation and advertising with negativity, so would the readers that absorb all this information gathered by the authors also not begin to accept the idea that advertising, as a whole, can only be a evil cog within this giant media machine? In this case, can these ‘findings’ really be said to be findings when they appear to be more of biased reports on advertising and image manipulation? Even when one searches for the keyword ‘brand exposure’, the first page links to a product placement agency named Brand Exposure, which (Brand Exposure, 2011) “offers a comprehensive and proactive product placement service for a range of high-end consumer products”.
   
From a brand’s perspective, the image immediately received by consumers by these outlets must therefore be attention-grabbing and almost as immediate as recognising a colour of the packaging, for example.
   
With the above points in mind, then how do children perceive the brand images when they are exposed to them on television? If it is as subtle and quiet as the first product placement in the UK since the ban was lifted in February 2011, then would they have even noticed or known it was a specific targeted advertising?
   
For consumers to even realise product placement was present in a programme (besides the regulated display of the Product Placement logo before and after the programme in which product placement was present was shown), consumers would have to have the knowledge of a product first; the first product shown in the UK was a Nescafe Coffee Machine during a popular daytime show This Morning. This programme is aired every morning at 10:30am, will aim to display products towards the target audience group that will most likely be in front of the television at this time of the day; mothers who may have just sent their children to school. This group of audience will also be the most likely group to be making the main purchasing decisions when buying products. Combining this knowledge and also wanting to have a morning cup of coffee after a hectic start to the morning, mothers will have certain knowledge of the products on display, perhaps from advertising campaigns outside and on screen during ad breaks, and the majority would be able to recognise the product.
   
    “Color isn’t the most important thing; it’s the only thing…color goes immediately to the psyche and can be a direct sales stimulus.” – Alvin Schechter
    (cited from Alsop, D. 1984, p37)
   
For children, since their senses are still developing, are more likely to be attracted to bright colours, this is why products aimed towards children always contain more than two colour palettes, and are very bright and lively to encourage play. For marketers that have to target products towards children, they must first understand, or even decide, what products should be targeted towards children in the first place. This can be done with insight from market research on aspects such as the most marketed products or the most purchased products in supermarkets or toy stores. Importantly, to control the research scope further, an age group of children has to be specified.
   
On the other hand, the marketers also have to understand the mindsets of parents when they make their purchasing decisions, as they are the users within a family that generate the income, and therefore providing their children with the products. It appears seemingly more so from media coverage that product placement is always emphasised negatively in advertising towards children.

As an advertiser said:

I disagree with the way that advertising has infiltrated my life such that I can’t choose when to view it…I don’t think there’s anything wrong with buying commercial time if it’s going to be offered…it has to do being able to have a choice when I receive the messages and when I don’t, and I feel that I’ve lost that choice. (Niinimäki, 2009)

Children, already considered to be incapable of making purchasing decisions, utilises a method called “pester power” in order to persuade those with power, i.e. their parents, to purchase a product.

   
Bibliography

Alsop, D. “Color Grows More Important in Catching Consumers’ Eyes” Wall Street Journal, 29 November 1984, 37.   

Niinimäki, M. (2009) Product Placement. [video] Available at: <http://vimeo.com/4056231>
   
This Morning, 2011. [TV programme] ITV, 28 February 2011 10.30.

http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/UK-News/Nescafe-Coffee-Machine-Is-First-Prod...
http://www.brand-exposure.co.uk/

"Be postive, my friend." Guy Kawasaki, y agrega "If you make meaning, you make money" #branding

— Andy Stalman (@AndyStalman) June 30, 2011

Introduction
 
The catalyst to this project began from an article, which the Mothers’ Union chief executive Reg Bailey (Fig.1) stated that ‘Society has become increasingly full of sexualised imagery…this has created a wallpaper to children’s lives’, accompanied by my personal interest in consumer influences as a result of brand exposure from different outlets, a fundamental aim of this research project is to learn and understand the importance of brand strategy, as well as the functions of product placement within media as a mechanism within branding and identity.
 
Brand strategy is important in any type of media; brands can encompass products, services, and more recently, people. Personal branding has become a new age phenomena where consumers now consider their purchases to emphasise on their individualism and ideals. So it has become more fundamental than ever for brands to stand out in order to catch the audiences’ attention.
 
One of my main objectives of embarking on a Masters course is to better my knowledge on design decisions and its influence on consumers. There is extensive research on product placement and its impact on purchasing influences, but lacks in the study of its impact on children, particularly in the United Kingdom, as her regulator policies forbids targeted advertising towards them; are our instated purchasing decisions also regulated within this nanny state of protectionism?
 
Research Question
 
Can product placement have a positive brand exposure towards children?
 
Aims and objectives
 
Aims
 
    •    Learn the importance of brand strategy within media
    •    Understand the function of product placement within media
    •    Question whether the project outcome will affect perceptions in the real-world and contribute towards a better understanding of the inner workings of branding and identity
    •    Collect a series of media as data collection – material such as television shows, movies, advertisements
    •    Consult experts in the field of advertising, marketing and branding
    •    Examine and document the visual language and messaging in the material gathered
    •    Determine whether the method of information processing can lead to universal application within branding and identity.
Objectives
 
    •    Find relevant data sources and establish experts in the field
    •    Set criteria for media scope
    •    Develop and apply a method of deconstruction for collecting material using semiotic and visual theories
    •    Establish a brand related theory from analysis of data
    •    Report and documents findings, processes, outcomes at every stage of the project
    •    Investigate if the influence of product placement can affect all age groups
    •    Based on the research, determine product placement’s effectiveness as a mechanism within branding and identity
    •    Collect reports and utilise them towards an overall written thesis, as informed by the reflection on the reports.
 
 
Audience
 
    •    Media watchers – the largest target audience which this project will aim towards, media watchers (or consumers) are the main user group that will be most exposed to the brands displayed
    •    Marketers and advertisers – the drivers behind-the-scenes of consumer choices, marketers and advertisers can work collaboratively if a gap in the market can be discovered within the media
    •    Visual researchers – this group of audience have to be constantly informed on the latest trends and hot topics for different age groups, making their knowledge invaluable
 
 
Context
 
Area/field of study
 
The consumer gives shape to a brand article, largely on the basis of what the ‘brand manufacturer’ offers: a tangible product, advertising. The brand article is much more complex than the tangible product, it is made up of emotions, associations and a fleeting whole that can nonetheless live on for a long time.
(Franzen and Holzhauer, 1987, cited by Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, p.144)
 
The big world of media is the most important tool for communication in the twenty-first century, and more brands than ever are competing against each other to maximise their marketing methods and brand exposure, but as Franzen and Bouwman rightly defines that


Marketing science considers brands as nothing more than identification means for products and services of suppliers. (Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, xvii)
 
The general area of study for this project is the promotional tactics used in both fictional and non-fictional media, also known as product placement. First introduced in the 1980s, this can take place in different forms; brands are integrated within, for example, a television show, thus guaranteeing an exposure of a product to its viewers; areas of research within this project will include
 
    •    Branding and identity within media
    •    Advertising techniques
 
Survey
 
In the United Kingdom, the Product Placement ban was recently lifted on British television as an attempt to stimulate the economy by allowing advertisers to pay for their products to be integrated into programmes, albeit with restrictions – the ban is still enforced in current affairs and children’s programmes.
 
The projected position of product placement for children is frowned upon as news sources inform that such placement as children are the most vulnerable to brand exposure in all different types of media. As previous research shows that
 
children as young as two have already developed preferences for national brands above shop brands, even if the shop brands tasted better. (Hite and Hite, 1995, cited by Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, p.122)
 
Review
 
Those around the age of 16-17 begin to develop their own sense of individualism and will begin to choose brands in order to express their ideals, but what of the impact of placement on viewers that are younger? What of the product placement targeted towards adults and its impact on children if they are exposed to such integrated advertising that is of a more mature nature? The media as a whole has become an integral part of our society as a tool for communication, combined with the conspicuous consumption of our society means that marketers have to find ways in advertising that provides ‘information on brands that make long enough of an impression on an individual is stored in the long-term memory’ (Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, p.135).
 
In relation to branding, this form of integrated advertising relies on good brand management to which marketers and advertisers utilise to reach as many different user groups as possible in order to increase their brand’s exposure and maximum outlets for generating revenue; academia (Spurlock, cited in Ruggie, 2011) noted in the movie Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold that ‘What makes consumers happy isn’t the product itself, but what that product is a conduit to.’
 
The UK government’s intention on the product placement ban on children’s programmes is due to the idea that children are more susceptible to manipulation than adults; from the collected material from various media sources reveal that marketers have been emphasising on what advertising does best; influencing children’s likes and dislikes by showing this young group of target audience exactly what they want, thereby developing a ‘I’ll have what she’s having’ complex towards product consumption.
 
The question remains as to whether such brand exposure has to be considered as negative exposure to children; with such great parental, as well as governmental, control over children’s purchasing decisions, what other sources of media are brands influencing children with apart from television?
Research Methodology
 
From the Unit 2.3 research topics, it was realised that most, if not all research investigated the idea of personal branding from different aspects of culture’s impact of perceptions in society. However, the research topics previously became problematic; the research became too self-referential, a closed circle; certain topics were also too specific in the lack of flexibility to consider the problem on a wider scale.
 
The complexity in exploring the different media methods that integrate product placement aimed towards children will allow the investigation of the seemingly negative brand exposure, and addressing how brands are accessed can change this.
 
Primary Research
    •    Establishing marketing strategies within product placement for different types of media – this sets the catalyst for the project in understanding how brands capture audiences in media
    •    Investigate the psychology of media influence
    •    Collate data on consumer purchasing choices
    •    Conduct interviews with advertising or marketing agencies to collect data on their strategies towards different user groups
Secondary Research
    •    What is product research?
    •    Which age group the most exposed to media?
    •    Which age group uses the most forms of media and technology?
    •    Collate findings of existing data of previous analysis of product placements
    •    Establish leaders in the field
    •    Referring to official / governmental websites and resources to clarify on the extent of the product placement legislation
 
Methods
The research methodology of this project will be mainly information gathering on different surveys as a collection for qualitative analysis, before undergoing interpretation with typologies and data visualisation techniques on aspects such as how different types of media is product placement integrated into as a starting point to quantitative analysis. Other components towards my methodology is as follows:
 
    •    Gather information on product placement as a whole
    ◦    Different types of media that product placement is now integrated into
    •    Establish a method of categorisation to create typologies of research gathered
    ◦    User groups and their media
    ◦    What products are most exposed to different groups
    ◦    Determine main user group – this is a crucial step as investigation and experimentations can be narrowed down for further criticism and analysis
    •    Generate constructed surveys to collect primary data
    ◦    Will be collated and analysed
    ◦    Determine what type, or types of media will be the focus of study
    •    Generate both qualitative and quantitative assessment of material gathered
    •    Filtering data to study extremes of both heavily integrated media and banned integrated media
    •    Literary research to extend understanding of main areas of study and analyse any findings on
    ◦    Brand strategies and theory
    ◦    Brand theory within media
    ◦    Advertising techniques
 
Resources
 
As previously mentioned, consultations may be conducted with tutors from London College of Communication, whom have experience in the advertising or branding industries, as well as setting up interviews with advertising agencies to gather primary research.
 
As product placement is a relatively topical issue since the recent lift on product placement within specified media, governmental websites may also be consulted for clarification on the extent of the product placement legislation as a whole.
Evaluation
 
As this proposal appears to be a research project about design, rather than a practical design problem, the most appropriate method of evaluation would be to employ critical reflection. This topical issue’s relevance is vast in today’s society where we are media and technology reliant; my focus on product placement towards children may face its occasional challenges due to governmental legislation rather than impracticalities.
 
The methods to evaluate the effectiveness of subject material will be reviewed by peers as well as tutors, which will then be reported in my milestone reports, which, currently, could take the form of a research blog. The research blog will be made public, thereby maximising sources for feedback from the public or amongst a wider research community.
 
Output
 
With applied research, the outcome will explore product placement and brand exposure towards children. I am specifying a written thesis as the outcome, as this project seems much more likely to be a critical discussion of product placement’s impact on children’s brand preferences. Producing a written output will still provide opportunities to acquire more technical and visual skills as part of the investigation, particularly in the form of a visual summary. With the context provided and research question outlined, I envisage the process of investigation will be broken down into a series of sub-projects in order to analyse different aspects of product placement and its influence on those exposed to such.
 
Any designed analysis produced for this project will involve a form of typographic and information design in order to present research findings, analysis and conclusions, and potential outcomes will be supported by an edited visual summary, as well as a research blog in addition to the final outcome.
Bibliography
 
Franzen, G and Bouwman, M. (2001) The Mental World of Brands – Mind, memory and brand success. Oxfordshire: World Advertising Research Center

Ruggie, A. Siegel and Gale, 2011. Morgan Spurlock is good for branding [online] Available at: <http://www.siegelgale.com/blog/morgan-spurlock-is-good-for-branding/>

Research Question

Can product placement have a positive brand exposure towards children?

Aims and objectives

Aims

• Learn the importance of brand strategy within media
• Understand the function of product placement within media
• Question whether the project outcome will affect perceptions in the real-world and contribute towards a better understanding of the inner workings of branding and identity
• Collect a series of media as data collection – material such as television shows, movies, advertisements
• Examine and document the visual language and messaging in the material gathered
• Determine whether the method of information processing can lead to universal application within branding and identity.

Objectives

• Find relevant data sources and establish experts in the field
• Set criteria for media scope
• Develop and apply a method of deconstruction for collecting material using semiotic and visual theories
• Report and documents findings, processes, outcomes at every stage of the project
• Investigate if the influence of product placement can affect all age groups
• Based on the research, determine product placement’s effectiveness as a mechanism within branding and identity
• Collect reports and utilise them towards an overall written thesis, as informed by the reflection on the reports.

Audience

• Media watchers – the largest target audience which this project will aim towards, media watchers (or consumers) are the main user group that will be most exposed to the brands displayed
• Marketers and advertisers – the drivers behind-the-scenes of consumer choices, marketers and advertisers can work collaboratively if a gap in the market can be discovered within the media
• Visual researchers – this group of audience have to be constantly informed on the latest trends and hot topics for different age groups, making their knowledge invaluable

Context

Area/field of study

The consumer gives shape to a brand article, largely on the basis of what the ‘brand manufacturer’ offers: a tangible product, advertising. The brand article is much more complex than the tangible product, it is made up of emotions, associations and a fleeting whole that can nonetheless live on for a long time.
(Franzen and Holzhauer, 1987, cited by Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, p.144)

The big world of media is the most important tool for communication in the twenty-first century, and more brands than ever are competing against each other to maximise their marketing methods and brand exposure, but as Franzen and Bouwman rightly defines that

Marketing science considers brands as nothing more than identification means for products and services of suppliers. (Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, xvii)

The general area of study for this project is the promotional tactics used in both fictional and non-fictional media, also known as product placement. First introduced in the 1980s, this can take place in different forms; brands are integrated within, for example, a television show, thus guaranteeing an exposure of a product to its viewers; areas of research within this project will include

• Branding and identity within media
• Advertising techniques

Survey

In the United Kingdom, the Product Placement ban was recently lifted on British television as an attempt to stimulate the economy by allowing advertisers to pay for their products to be integrated into programmes, albeit with restrictions – the ban is still enforced in current affairs and children’s programmes.

The projected position of product placement for children is frowned upon as news sources inform that such placement integrated into children’s programmes; children are the most vulnerable to brand exposure in all different types of media. As previous research shows that
   
children as young as two have already developed preferences for national brands above shop brands, even if the shop brands tasted better. (Hite and Hite, 1995, cited by Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, p.122)

Review

Those around the age of 16-17 begin to develop their own sense of individualism and will begin to choose brands in order to express their ideals, but what of the impact of placement on viewers that are younger? What of the product placement targeted towards adults and its impact on children if they are exposed to such integrated advertising that is of a more mature nature? The media as a whole has become an integral part of our society as a tool for communication, combined with the conspicuous consumption of our society means that marketers have to find ways in advertising that provides ‘information on brands that make long enough of an impression on an individual is stored in the long-term memory’ (Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, p.135).

In relation to branding, this form of integrated advertising relies on good brand management to which marketers and advertisers utilise to reach as many different user groups as possible in order to increase their brand’s exposure and maximum outlets for generating revenue; academia (Spurlock, cited in Ruggie, 2011) noted in the movie Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold that ‘What makes consumers happy isn’t the product itself, but what that product is a conduit to.’

The UK government’s intention on the product placement ban on children’s programmes is due to the idea that children are more susceptible to manipulation than adults; from the collected material from various media sources reveal that marketers have been emphasising on what advertising does best; influencing children’s likes and dislikes by showing this young group of target audience exactly what they want, thereby developing a ‘I’ll have what she’s having’ complex towards product consumption.

The question remains as to whether such brand exposure has to be considered as negative exposure to children; with such great parental, as well as governmental, control over children’s purchasing decisions, what other sources of media are brands influencing children with apart from television?Research Methodology

From the Unit 2.3 research topics, it was realised that most, if not all research investigated the idea of personal branding from different aspects of culture, and its impact of perceptions in society. However, the research topics previously became problematic; the research became too self-referential, a closed circle; certain topics were also too specific in the lack of flexibility to consider the problem on a wider scale.
The complexity in exploring the different media methods that integrate product placement aimed towards children allows the investigation of the seemingly assumed negative brand presence can be changed by addressing how information is accessed.

Primary Research

• Establishing marketing strategies within product placement for different types of media – this sets the catalyst for the project in understanding how brands capture audiences in media
• Conduct interviews with advertising or marketing agencies to collect data on their strategies towards different user groups

Secondary Research

• Investigate and collate findings of existing data of previous analysis of product placements
• Establish leaders in the field
• Referring to official / governmental websites and resources to clarify on the extent of the product placement legislation

Methods
The research methodology of this project will be mainly information gathering on different surveys as a collection for qualitative analysis, before undergoing interpretation with typologies and data visualisation techniques on aspects such as how different types of media is product placement integrated into as a starting point to quantitative analysis. Other components towards my methodology is as follows:

• Gather information on product placement as a whole
  • Different types of media that product placement is now integrated into
  • Establish a method of categorisation to create typologies of research gathered
  • User groups and their media
• What products are most exposed to different groups
  • Determine main user group – this is a crucial step as investigation and experimentations can be narrowed down for further criticism and analysis
  • Generate constructed surveys to collect primary data
  • Will be collated and analysed
• Determine what type, or types of media will be the focus of study
  • Generate both qualitative and quantitative assessment of material gathered
• Filtering data to study extremes of both heavily integrated media and banned integrated media
• Literary research to extend understanding of main areas of study and analyse any findings on
  • Brand strategies and theory
  • Brand theory within media
  • Advertising techniques

Resources

As previously mentioned, consultations may be conducted with tutors from London College of Communication, whom have experience in the advertising or branding industries, as well as setting up interviews with advertising agencies to gather primary research.

As product placement is a relatively topical issue since the recent lift on product placement within specified media, governmental websites may also be consulted for clarification on the extent of the product placement legislation as a whole.

Output

Potential final outcomes

With applied research, the outcome will explore product placement and brand exposure towards children. I am specifying a written thesis as the outcome, as this project seems much more likely to be a critical discussion of product placement’s impact on children’s brand preferences. Producing a written output will still provide opportunities to acquire more technical and visual skills as part of the investigation, particularly in the form of a visual summary. With the context provided and research question outlined, I envisage the process of investigation will be broken down into a series of sub-projects in order to analyse different aspects of product placement and its influence on those exposed to such.

Any designed analysis produced for this project will involve a form of typographic and information design in order to present research findings, analysis and conclusions, and potential outcomes will be supported by an edited visual summary, as well as a research blog in addition to the final outcome.Bibliography

Franzen, G and Bouwman, M. (2001) The Mental World of Brands – Mind, memory and brand success. Oxfordshire: World Advertising Research Center

Ruggie, A. Siegel and Gale, 2011. Morgan Spurlock is good for branding [online] Available at: <http://www.siegelgale.com/blog/morgan-spurlock-is-good-for-branding/>

Research Question

Can product placement have a positive brand exposure towards children?

Aims

»    Learn the importance of brand strategy within media
»    Understand the function of product placement within media
»    Question whether the project outcome will affect perceptions in the real-world and contribute towards a better understanding of the inner workings of branding and identity
»    Collect a series of media as data collection – material such as television shows, movies, advertisements
»    Examine and document the visual language and messaging in the material gathered
»    Determine whether the method of information processing can lead to universal application within branding and identity.

Objectives

»    Find relevant data sources and establish experts in the field
»    Set criteria for media scope
»    Develop and apply a method of deconstruction for collecting material using semiotic and visual theories
»    Report and documents findings, processes, outcomes at every stage of the project
»    Investigate if the influence of product placement can affect all age groups
»    Based on the research, determine product placement’s effectiveness as a mechanism within branding and identity
»    Collect reports and utilise them towards an overall written thesis, as informed by the reflection on the reports.

Audience

»    Media watchers – the largest target audience which this project will aim towards, media watchers (or consumers) are the main user group that will be most exposed to the brands displayed
»    Marketers and advertisers – the drivers behind-the-scenes of consumer choices, marketers and advertisers can work collaboratively if a gap in the market can be discovered within the media
»    Visual researchers – this group of audience have to be constantly informed on the latest trends and hot topics for different age groups, making their knowledge invaluable

Context

Area/field of study

The consumer gives shape to a brand article, largely on the basis of what the ‘brand manufacturer’ offers: a tangible product, advertising. The brand article is much more complex than the tangible product, it is made up of emotions, associations and a fleeting whole that can nonetheless live on for a long time.
(Franzen and Holzhauer, 1987, cited by Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, p.144)

The big world of media is the most important tool for communication in the twenty-first century, and more brands than ever are competing against each other to maximise their marketing methods and brand exposure, but as Franzen and Bouwman rightly defines that

Marketing science considers brands as nothing more than identification means for products and services of suppliers. (Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, xvii)

The general area of study for this project is the promotional tactics used in both fictional and non-fictional media, also known as product placement. First introduced in the 1980s, this can take place in different forms; brands are integrated within, for example, a television show, thus guaranteeing an exposure of a product to its viewers; areas of research within this project will include

»    Branding and identity within media
»    Advertising techniques

Survey

In the United Kingdom, the Product Placement ban was recently lifted on British television as an attempt to stimulate the economy by allowing advertisers to pay for their products to be integrated into programmes, albeit restrictions intact – the ban is still enforced in current affairs and children’s programmes.

The projected position of product placement for children is frowned upon as news sources inform that such placement integrated into children’s programmes would be harmful to their health; children are the most vulnerable to brand exposure in all different types of media; previous research shows that
   
children as young as two have already developed preferences for national brands above shop brands, even if the shop brands tasted better. (Hite and Hite, 1995, cited by Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, p.122)

Review

Those around the age of 16-17 begin to develop their own sense of individualism and will begin to choose brands in order to express their ideals, but what of children that are younger? The media as a whole has become an integral part of our society as a tool for communication; the increasingly busy lifestyle of a typical twenty-first century family, accompanied by conspicuous consumption, means that marketers have to find new and innovative ways in advertising which is not time-consuming or immune to viewers, yet so ‘information on brands that make long enough of an impression on an individual is stored in the long-term memory’ (Franzen and Bouwman, 2001, p.135).

In relation to branding and identity, this relatively new form of advertising has become a part of the branding mechanism to which marketers and advertisers utilise to reach as many different user groups as possible in order to increase their brand’s exposure and maximum outlets for generating revenue.

The UK government’s intention on the product placement ban on children’s programmes is due to the idea that children are more susceptible to manipulation than adults; from the collected material from various media sources reveal that marketers have been emphasising on what advertising does best; influencing children’s likes and dislikes by showing this young group of target audience exactly what they want. The question remains as to how children are still being exposed to brands; with such great parental, as well as governmental, control over children’s purchasing decisions, what other sources are brands influencing children with?

Research Methodology

From the Unit 2.3 research topics, it was realised that most, if not all research investigated the idea of personal branding from different aspects of culture, and its impact of perceptions in society. However, the research topics previously became problematic; the research became too self-referential, a closed circle; certain topics were also too specific in the lack of flexibility to consider the problem on a wider scale.
The complexity in exploring the different media methods that integrate product placement aimed towards children allows the investigation of the seemingly assumed negative brand presence can be changed by addressing how information is accessed.

Primary Research
»    Establishing marketing strategies within product placement for different types of media – this sets the catalyst for the project in understanding how brands capture audiences in media
»    Conduct interviews with advertising or marketing agencies to collect data on their strategies towards different user groups

Secondary Research
»    Investigate
»    Collate findings of existing data of previous analysis of product placements
»    Establish leaders in the field
»    Referring to official / governmental websites and resources to clarify on the extent of the product placement legislation

Methods
The research methodology of this project will be mainly information gathering on different surveys as a collection for qualitative analysis, before undergoing interpretation with typologies and data visualisation techniques on aspects such as how different types of media is product placement integrated into as a starting point to quantitative analysis. Other components towards my methodology is as follows:

»    Gather information on product placement as a whole

• Different types of media that product placement is now integrated into
• Different user groups – which groups use what type of media the most

»    Establish a method of categorisation to create typologies of research gathered

• User groups and their media
• What products are most exposed to different groups
• Determine main user group – this is a crucial step as investigation and experimentations can be narrowed down for further criticism and analysis

»    Generate constructed surveys to collect primary data

• Will be collated and analysed
• Determine what type, or types of media will be the focus of study

»    Generate both qualitative and quantitative assessment of material gathered

»    Filtering data to study extremes of both heavily integrated media and banned integrated media

»    Literary research to extend understanding of main areas of study and analyse any findings on

• Brand strategies and theory
• Brand theory within media
• Advertising techniques

Resources

As previously mentioned, consultations may be conducted with tutors from London College of Communication, whom have experience in the advertising or branding industries, as well as setting up interviews with advertising agencies to gather primary research.

As product placement is a relatively topical issue since the recent lift on product placement within specified media, governmental websites may also be consulted for clarification on the extent of the product placement legislation as a whole.

Evaluation

As this proposal appears to be a research project about design, rather than a practical design problem, the most appropriate method of evaluation would be to employ critical reflection. This topical issue’s relevance is vast in today’s society where we are media and technology reliant; my focus on product placement towards children may face its occasional challenges due to governmental legislation rather than impracticalities.

The methods to evaluate the effectiveness of subject material will be reviewed by peers as well as tutors, which will then be reported in my milestone reports, which, currently, could take the form of a research blog. The research blog will be made public, thereby maximising sources for feedback from the public or amongst a wider research community.

Output

With applied research, the outcome will explore product placement and brand exposure towards children. I am specifying a written thesis as the outcome, as this project seems much more likely to be a critical discussion of product placement’s impact on children’s brand preferences. Producing a written output will still provide opportunities to acquire more technical and visual skills as part of the investigation, particularly in the form of a visual summary. With the context provided and research question outlined, I envisage the process of investigation will be broken down into a series of sub-projects in order to analyse different aspects of product placement and its influence on those exposed to such.

Any designed analysis produced for this project will involve a form of typographic and information design in order to present research findings, analysis and conclusions, and potential outcomes will be supported by an edited visual summary, as well as a research blog in addition to the final outcome.

Bibliography

Franzen, G and Bouwman, M. (2001) The Mental World of Brands – Mind, memory and brand success. Oxfordshire: World Advertising Research Center