'American Idol' product placement: Does it distract from the show anymore?
Hey, PopWatchers, the sky is blue. And American Idol is the program with the most product placement on TV. Shocking, right? According to Ad Age, the competitive reality series has had 208 in-show appearances of products like Coca-Cola, Ford, and AT&T throughout the month of March. That makes Idol the “largest venue for product placement,” finishing ahead of runner-up Celebrity Apprentice, which clocked in with 127 product mentions. (The other surprise? America’s Next Top Model boasts just as many instances of product placement as The Biggest Loser: 88. Who would have thought one hour on The CW show would tie the two-hour product-a-thon that is NBC’s weight loss reality program?)
Reading this news made me wonder, simply: Do you even notice Idol‘s product placement anymore? Yes, I know it’s impossible to avoid seeing the flashing Coke lights and impossible to escape those dreaded Ford commercials. But I suppose my point is that product placement hardly distracts from Idol anymore. Unlike, say, when Claire Bennett scored a Nissan Rogue on Heroes, Idol‘s product placement merely serves as a backdrop that viewers are able to cast aside when focusing in on a contestant’s breathtaking performance. And since we’re quite used to the produce placement — the show has been around since 2002, after all — it’s become as easy to ignore as Ryan Seacrest’s cheesy barbs.
But what do you think, PopWatchers? Do you even notice product placement on Idol anymore?
Follow Kate on Twitter @KateWardEW
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