Placements in Television Shows: The Role of Modality and Plot Connection Congruence on Brand Memory and Attitude

This article develops and tests a conceptual framework for the practice of product placement. The empirical testing introduces a controlled experimental approach called the theater methodology. Results show that the modality of presentation (visual and auditory) of the placements and the degree of connection between a brand and the plot of the show interact to influence memory and attitude change. Memory improves when modality and plot connection are incongruent but per-suasion is enhanced by congruency. While congruous placements appear natural, incongruent placements adversely affect brand attitudes because they seem out of place and are discounted. Chandler: (Entering the apartment.) Oh, hey, Rachel, sweet-heart? You have got to tell the post office that you have moved. OK? We are still getting all your bills and stuff. (He hands her all of her bills and junk mail.) Rachel: Oh—oh, Pottery Barn! (She grabs the Pottery Barn catalog and hands the rest back out to Chandler.) You can throw the rest away. Chandler: I’m not your garbage man. I’m your mailman. Rachel: Monica, look! Look—look—look! Here is that table that I ordered. (She shows her the picture.) Monica: You got it from Pottery Barn? Rachel: Yeah! It’s an apothecary table. Does anyone even know what an apothecary is? Chandler: A pharmacist. (Rachel mocks him.) This is not the script of a television commercial for theretail store Pottery Barn but rather an excerpt from the first scene of an episode of the top-rated NBC situation comedy Friends (aired January 6, 2000) in which the story revolved around several characters ’ adventures with prod-*Cristel Antonia Russell is assistant professor of marketing at San Dieg