Yongjun Sung

Understanding Attitudes Toward and Behaviors in Response to Product Placement

Product placement attitudes have largely been assessed using college students or relatively small samples. In addition, no systematic framework has been used to investigate the origins or influencing social factors of such attitudes and how these interact with demographic characteristics. Using an online survey, we adopt the consumer socialization framework to examine placement-related attitudes and behaviors among 3,340 adults. Peer communication, a variable not previously investigated in this research stream, was the strongest predictor of both product placement attitudes and behaviors. Findings also reveal differences in both attitudes and behaviors across a range of demographic characteristics, including income, gender, and ethnicity.

Non-Student Consumer Attitudes towards Product Placement: Implications for Public Policy and Advertisers

Over the years, the practice of placing branded products within films has gained popularity worldwide. Concomitantly with its popularity have come increasing concerns over its effects on public well-being among various groups. By surveying a US sample of 3,340 non-students, the current study provides a more accurate picture of attitudes towards product placement in films. Findings suggest that non-students are more neutral towards the practice than students, and that consumers are positively disposed towards product placement, value the realism that placement brings, and do not perceive the practice as unethical or misleading. Results also indicate a diverse pattern of differences in perception across demographic groups, little perceived need for governmental regulation of product placement and that the only situation for which consumers would desire regulation is for the placement of ethically charged products having a significant proportion of non-adult audience members. Implications for advertisers and policy-makers are discussed.

New Brand Worlds: College Student Consumer Attitudes toward Brand Placement in Films, Television Shows, Songs, and Video Games

No previous study has yet quantitatively examined attitudes toward brand placement in multiple media. A survey was conducted of 437 college students regarding their attitudes toward brand placements in films, television shows, songs, and video games. A previously unexamined element in the literature, genre, was incorporated. Our results suggest that attitudes toward brand placement are positive overall across media, but that brand placements in songs and video games are less acceptable than within films and television programs. In addition, specific genres are considered especially appropriate or inappropriate for the strategy.

Increasing Power and Preventing Pain

This research investigates how an individuals self-construal and self-regulatory focus interplay in determining advertising message persuasiveness. In Experiment 1, we examine the moderating role of an individuals chronically accessible self-construal with respect to regulatory focus. The results show that individuals with a dominant independent self-construal exhibit more positive attitudes toward a promotion-focused advertising message and the advocated brand, whereas individuals with a prevailing interdependent self-construal show more favorable attitudes toward a prevention-focused advertising message and the associated brand. While replicating Experiment 1, Experiment 2 lends further support for the observed relationship by temporarily priming self-construal through a series of contextual advertising images involving individual and team sports events. The findings reveal that individuals who are primed first by viewing individual sports events later evaluate the promotion-focused advertising message and the brand more positively; in contrast, those exposed to team sports events display more favorable evaluations of the prevention-focused advertising and attitude toward the brand. This suggests that situationally primed self-construal, in conjunction with regulatory focus, has a similar impact on advertising message effectiveness.

Brand placements in Korean films, 1995-2003: a content analysis.

ABSTRACT A content analysis was conducted of the top 10 most popular Korean films of each year between 1995 and 2003. The study examines to what extent and in what context brands have been placed in Korean films over the nine-year period. Results indicate that brands are prevalent and occurrences have increased over time. Comedy and action were the most popular genres for placement. In terms of product/service categories, non-alcoholic beverage, alcoholic beverage, automobile, clothing, and food brands appeared most often, and Coca Cola was the most frequently occurring brand. Marketing and public policy implications and future research directions are provided.