Module 4A Film Fest Have you ever wondered why there are so many ads present in mass media? The purpose of advertising is to offer goods and services and make them attractive to possible consumers Bearing this in mind, advertising agencies have found a way to reach a large number of people by presenting merchandise in television, radio and the Internet But they have gone even further so as to achieve their goal without bombarding the audience with commercials helps reduce the cost of the film because there is not financial compensation for the products advertised For example, some productions have used manufactured goods —such as electronic devices, food, clothes or means of transport— and then, given them back without having to pay for them There have been occasions in which products, such as cars, have taken on a leading role, together with the main character Actually, the automobile is one of the most common product placements in films Product placement is a form of advertisement in which the product appears in context as if it were part of a scene so that there are no interruptions Sometimes, it is not the product itself, but actually an ad for the product that is present This is called advertisement placement These forms of advertising have become very common in films The idea is that scenes resemble real life with real products, which are not the focus of attention but are clearly visible Spectators can see characters buying or using certain merchandise, or even making comments about them It is important to notice, however, that some product placements have not had successful outcomes on the big screen This has occurred because their presence has been too obvious or of no relevance to a particular scene Due to adverse effects like these, viewers may feel that they are watching a commercial instead of a film This tendency brings profits to both the company brand and film productions Sometimes, product placement Activities When a product blends into the scenery, the audience naturally accepts it and does not become conscious of its presence Probably, this has also happened to you when watching films Now that you know what this form of advertising is about, you will surely recognise various product and ad placements in the future Sex and the City / New Line Cinema Speed Racer / Warner Bros Pictures 1 Read the text and answer a How agencies advertise products in films? b What is the difference between product and advertisement placement? c Why are these forms of advertising effective? English Toolkit - Communication Photocopiable © Ediciones Santillana S.A / Richmond 2011 Advertising in films Module 4A 2 Circle the verbs in the Present Perfect and write a list of the irregular past participles 3 Complete the diagram with words related to films 4 Give examples of films in which product placement promotes… a …an automobile and it appears as a character: b …computers which have an important role in the story: c …food or drinks: Classify the films mentioned above Are they action / adventure films, comedies, dramas, sci-fi films, horror films, etc.? 5 Work in groups Imagine you work for an advertising company and have to design an ad to place in a particular scene of a film Remember that it has to appear as part of the scenery! Consider the following guide before getting to work Choose a scene of a famous film in which the advertisement will appear and describe it Decide which product you will advertise Design a plan for the advertisement: what pictures and words will you include? English Toolkit - Communication Photocopiable © Ediciones Santillana S.A / Richmond 2011 Films