I remember that there were those days that advertisements in the television popped up only twice for about 5 to 10 minutes each slot during an hour programme. But, in these days, advertisements are slot into the one hour programme twice as more. With having this hypercommercialism, we are watching the programme only for about 40 minutes. And this, I find it is quite frustrating for being interrupt 4 times and each takes about 10 minutes during the one hour programme. So as for the radio. In the radio programme, I notice that with every 2 or 3 songs, there will be a commercial break. When the commercial break has ended or the radio deejays has finished their line, they will mention the sponsors.
No doubt that advertisements are good in the matter of letting us, the consumers, know of what is in the market and that we have choices of product that may of benefit to us. But, being hypercommercialised, it can be a trouble to us. It may affect our decision making in choosing the right product. Especially those who are potentially being influenced like teenagers and youngsters. One of the most watch programme by these two categories that has product placement and explicitly being hypercommercialise is the American Next Top Model. In each episode, the names of the sponsors are brought up at the end of the show as well in each season, the sponsors' name and product are mentioned and display the brand in at least one episode. As the hypercommercialism also happen during the kid's hour (whereby, for example, the time slot children programme being air during the Sunday morning), commercial of a fast food chain are air during the start and the end of a commercial break as it is the sponsor of the programme. It may make the children thinks of wanting to eat in that fast food which we know that it is not a healthy choice of food. However, what does the children know about healthy food and unhealthy food? They just want it anyway.
As for product placement, I find it is more acceptable personally as I think it is a more subtle way of advertising without interrupting the flow of the movie. The sponsors may be putting their product, logo and brand in a movie having the actor or actress to use or display it especially Hollywood movie. Some of the examples are the character of Bumblebee of The Transformers are transform to a yellow Chevrolet Camaro and Sex and the City when the actress received a wedding gown from designer, Vivienne Westwood. To some it may cause an effect on them as they may be fascinated by the display of the product or brand. For example, there was a short period of time that a pendant of a well established designer displayed in a Japanese movie, Nana, there were a lot of imitation of that particular design in the street, be in form of pendant or earring. This brings the idea of there are demands of that particular design.
Reference:
http://www.masternewmedia.org/news/2007/01/09/product_placement_and_hypercommercialism_pervade.htm
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We may sometimes being influence too much by hypercommercialism until we do not know whether their products are really good or not especially youngsters like me. and sometimes, we eventually end up wasting our money for something not important.
ReplyDeleteyes,yes and yes..i agree with you and 'jason'. We are too influenced by hypercommercialism until we forgot the real deal here. It happened to me too, walking in the mall, i wanted to buy a book but ended up buying a pair of jeans, which is two different things, from a BOOK which is useful and needed to JEANS which is not even in my 'things to buy' list!
ReplyDeleteya, good thing you pointed out the 'fast food franchise commercial' as we all know, Malaysia has banned the advertisements of fast food commercials during kid's hours (where the time slot of programmes for children are aired)specifically because it may mislead the children into craving for unhealthy fast food. this is the exact example for the effects of hypercommercialism and why we are concerned/bothered about it
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