iNM January, 2013 | Page 13

Marketing verticality (individualist vs collectivist), showing that status in the hierarchy are important. Looking up to successful people in the hierarchy (such as celebrities) is also important in this country. Thus, brands placed in the hands of characters admired by the audience may be really effective. The important adherence to in-group norms can also influence the brand selection. The Indian audience is emotionally involved with onscreen actors and always look to Sheetal Kasbekar College: FMS, Delhi Batch: 2011-2013 Product placement in films ! Is it really effective ? What is common between the musical Taal, amazing fantasy Koi Mil Gaya, Krissh and the tearjerker Stepmom? The audience might be forgiven for wondering why their usual favourite cold drink, health drink and mugs were getting as much importance as the celebrities staring in the movie. Welcome to the world of Product Placement in movies!! After the mass media got a complete makeover in nineteenth century, commercialism became an important part of the same. The concept of product placement in the movies was a product of the belief that the easiest way to reach an audience is to place a product in the hands of stars, who the audience idolises and who possess an incredible power to influence consumer behaviour. It wasn’t always that way. When E.T released, no one realised that Elliott’s use of Reeses’ Pieces to lure E.T. into his home was part of a clever marketing ploy that had been pre-arranged with the multinational conglomerate selling the candy. Now that nearly every household has a DVR allowing viewers to fast-forward through commercials, advertisers are relying more and more heavily on product placement to show off their wares. So why are product placements still in vogue? Emotional connect Films emotionally cater to the audiences, thereby helping them to relate to the actors coming from the backgrounds similar to them. Audience, especially the Indians, want the movie icons to tell them how to dress impressively, how to behave in social settings and what brands to use. Cultural values and communication styles influence advertising persuasion and can influence the way consumers process product placements. India is seen as a collectivist culture, individuals are primarily motivated by the norms of those collectives. A look at the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions model shows that India scores high in the cultural dimension power distance and A 6?g&??F&?vr ??F?R7F?'2?B7G&W76W2f?"?WrG&V?G2?f6????2?B??'7G??W2?&?GV7B?6V?V?B6?&RFVf??VB27G&FVv?2?&?WF??rF7F?2?F?R&?6W72F?&?Vv?v??6??GfW'F?6W"?2F??6R&?GV7B????f?R??B6?&R?6?&Vv&FVB2&W?6V?V?Bf?"G&F?F?????fW'BGfW'F?6??r??B?2???'&?B?W76vRF???f?VV?6RF?RVF?V?6Rv?F?F?R???VBV?G'??bF?R'&?B?F?R?FV?F???b&?GV7B?6V?V?B????f?W2v2G'V??FV?F?f?VB'?F???2VF?6??????VF?6??f???27V6?2&?FRF?&?Vv?F?R6?6FF?R??V?F??2?&???6R?bF?R&???B7G&VWF6"6??f?'???6?VFVB6??G2?bG&?7?'FF????7V6?2&??&?G2?f?"v??6?F?RG&?7?'FF???6????W2?B???W??FW7?FRF?R???F????67W2???f?W2??Rv??Rv?F?F?Rv??B?BV6?W7Bv??vfR&??7BF?&?GV7B?6V?V?B?BV?F?'6V?V?BF?R?W??????v???Rf???@?????