Product Placement Ofcom Consultation
Ofcom has today, 28 June, opened two consultations on changes to the Ofcom Broadcasting Code (one for television and one for radio) to allow for product placement in UK television programming. The consultations close on 17 September 2010, and we encourage interested parties to respond.
In the television consultation, Ofcom has made a few sensible suggestions and clarifications to the Regulations that came into force in March (see our separate Ad Guide), including allowing single dramas to carry product placement, prohibiting thematic placement and signalling the placement to viewers by way of a universal neutral logo (both visual and audio).
Furthermore, Ofcom has suggested amending the sponsorship rules, to allow programme sponsor's products or services to be referred to in the programme. In essence, this would allow broadcasters to offer full packages to sponsors, prevents conflicts between sponsorship and placement and makes much commercial sense for both broadcasters and advertisers. Ofcom also states that, as a result of the changes to EU law under the Audio Visual Services DIrective which the Product Placement Regulations implement, there is no need for advertising and editorial to be separated, but only that they are distinct from each other: some changes are therefore proposed to this section of the Broadcasting Code.
Notable by its absence, however, is any clarification of what it meant by "undue prominence": under the Regulations, programmes must not give undue prominence to placed products. However, Ofcom has said it intends to issue Guidance as well, so we hope that these address this crucial element.
