- Intro
- Rules
- Transparency
- Sponsorship
On 28th February 2011, ITV became the first UK broadcaster to go live with Product Placement, featuring a Nestle Dulce Gusto Coffee machine within the Kitchen on “This Morning”.
Following the change in regulations by Ofcom effective from that date, paid-for references for products and services will now be permitted in programmes and ITV is working closely with clients and producers on plans for the implementation of product placement across ITV channels for 2011 and beyond.
For more information on the latest opportunities or the chance to register Client interest, please contact Katherine.marlow@itv.com
For more information on the rules, please click on the above tabs.
The rules include:
•restrictions on the types of products that can be placed;
•restrictions on the types of programmes in which products can be placed; and
• limits on the way in which products can be seen and referred to in programmes.
Product placement will be allowed in films (including dramas and documentaries), TV series (including soaps), entertainment shows and sports programmes. But it will be prohibited in all children’s and news programmes and in UK-produced current affairs, consumer affairs and religious programmes.
The product placement of tobacco, alcohol, gambling, foods or drinks that are high in fat, salt or sugar, medicines and baby milk is banned by UK legislation. Ofcom has also prohibited the paid-for placement of products and services that cannot be advertised on television, such as weapons or escort agencies. All these prohibitions are reflected in Ofcom’s new rules.
The rules state that product placement must not impair broadcasters’ editorial independence and must always be editorially justified. This means that programmes cannot be created or distorted so that they become vehicles for the purposes of featuring product placement.
European and UK legislation also requires that placed products and services cannot be promoted or endorsed, or be featured in an unduly prominent way within programmes.
Following the introduction of new rules for product placement on TV, viewers will see the new product placement logo on their screens.
The logo, must appear for a minimum of three seconds at the start and end of programmes so that viewers know which UK-produced programmes contain product placement. The logo must also appear at the return of the programme following any advertisement breaks.
The TV awareness campaign is available to view on this page in the video window.