Calling the promotion of Hidden Valley Ranch by A Million Little Things is, in a way, not quite as brilliant as people would love to state. It’s wise, it’s well-informed, and it’s definitely a boon to the product and the show, but brilliant seems to be the sound of advertisers clapping each other on the back needlessly as though saying “good job” when in truth it would be best if they acknowledged that they finally hit upon something that makes sense. When you really think about it, product placement in any show on TV is something that most sitcoms and other shows should have been thinking about for a long, long time. It’s great to see this kind of wisdom finally foster the idea that people want to see reality played out on TV in a way that they can relate to, but the self-aggrandizement isn’t really needed.
It might sound a bit cynical but this is the job of advertisers and marketing firms, a job that they’re paid well to do and are constantly required to be up on thanks to the competitive nature of the business. Quite honestly it’s great to celebrate and congratulate oneself when a marketing ploy manages to hit one out of the park, but if ABC decides to take the time to spike the ball they might miss out on the opportunities that are still to be had. Score, but don’t waste time dancing in the end zone, as in advertising the penalty for this the loss of business and money as the competitors will use this idea to take things further and create something that people will want to look at while you’re still working on your footwork. Was this a smart move? Of course it was, Hidden Valley Ranch is a well-known name and bringing it to the attention of an audience that loves to see product placement no matter how much they roll their eyes was the move that any smart individual would make.
Product placement after all is a smart move on anyone’s part since it brings a greater awareness of the product to the general public since it’s on a much broader platform and becomes something that can help or harm a brand depending on how it’s used. For Hidden Valley Ranch this is just another step up the ladder since it means that it’s being broadcast in a way that’s going to allow more and more people to learn of it and possibly even gain a few new admirers and customers. That’s what product placement is all about after all, gaining new buyers that are interested in the product and are somehow compelled to go out and buy the product. It works for some but has the opposite effect on others that don’t care to see what amounts to a mini-commercial within their favorite show. Some folks really don’t care for commercials in the slightest and might even view product placement as something that has no place in their favorite shows. But the stark truth of it is that most of the shows and movies we watch in this day and age have product placement down to a science and know how to attract the attention of the viewer in a way that is almost unavoidable no matter what you watch.
Hidden Valley Ranch seems like an odd thing to showcase since to many people it’s a rather mundane product that is used in a variety of ways but is never given much thought unless a person is hungry or planning a particular meal. Yet for all that it’s still a rather popular product that was selected to be pushed for one reason or another and was therefore given the kind of attention that many people might think to give to something else in their everyday life that sees a great deal more use. It’s almost guaranteed however that such products are still given the front row treatment when being placed into movies and shows as well.
Hidden Valley Ranch is just one among many products that will likely be featured so prominently as the years start to roll by. In fact if people had been paying attention they might have seen that more and more TV shows and movies have already been practicing this in a way that brings greater attention to the products being used in a way that they are meant to see but not see at the same time. Making it so blatant in this manner is nothing new, but creating a buzz about said products by showing them on the program and then cutting away to an actual commercial is a tactic that is smart on the part of advertisers.
It’s not a new practice, but somehow it’s being made even more obvious.
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