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The Asian Media & Mass Communication Conference 2010 Osaka, Japan
Abstract
Product Placement in Sitcom Drama as the Challenged Marketing
Communication Tools: A Case Study of "Pen Tor" Thailand
Tortrakool Ubolwatra Ph.D.
Kasembundit University, Bangkok THAILAND
Nowadays, product placement became one of marketing communication tools
which was increasingly popular in Thailand especially in sitcom drama. There were
several forms such as set and prop in sitcom, characters’ holding and touching product
or actors in each scene, or embedding product placement in sitcom script. The
objective of this study was to study effects of product placement on brand recognition
in sitcom drama "Pen Tor" which was broadcast more than 7 years, which was one of
the most favorable sitcoms and which was the pioneer using product placement.
Questionnaires were used to collect the data from 600 samples who were the target of
this sitcom drama. There were 38 brands of product and service displayed as the
product placement in sitcom drama "Pen Tor”. The samples had to choose 38 brands
of products and services and each one had three choices of the same types but
different brands and to consider which brands had displayed in sitcom drama "Pen
Tor".
The findings found that the samples could identify a few brands which were
well-known in the market such as Honda, Coca Cola, BRAND’S Essence of Chicken,
Singha and Thai Insurance. Consequently, marketing communication via product
placement might not be suitable for launching new product because their advertising
costs were too high but their results were not. Product placement should be only as the
role of supporting more than being the major way of marketing communication for
launching new product in the market.
Background and Significance of the study
In Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, advertisement has occurred for the first
time. In those periods, promulgation is used for advertising which is considered as the
first form of advertisement. Later, engraving, writing and signboard are on the wall at
public places and in front of shops. When printer is invented, many forms of
advertisement such as newspaper, handbill and poster are widely used. Advertisement
is developed continually because the growth of population, transportation, industry
and new invention. Moreover, advertising agency has set up.
In Thailand, advertisement starts around Ratanakosin period by H.R.H. Prince
Burachat Chaiyakorn, who is known as the “Father of Advertising in Thailand”.
H.R.H. Prince Burachat Chaiyakorn has adapted the pattern of British Railways’
advertisement into State Railway of Thailand and other organizations successfully.
Consequently, H.R.H. Prince Burachat Chaiyakorn has established the local
advertising agency as Siam Advertising Co., Ltd. because he believes about the
usefulness of advertising; moreover, Nai Lert is also the first advertisement of Siam
Advertising Co., Ltd. Therefore, Siam Advertising Co., Ltd can be acclaimed as the
sign of the prosperity of advertising in this period because many people are interested
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