[Reporter’s Eye]
How Far Should PPL be Used?
by Son Hee-jeong, Society Reporter, shjshj88@mju.ac.kr
Recently, Whenever we watch drama, entertainment program or radio, suddenly ad of certain products comes up which is very out of the blue. It distracts viewers, making it hard for them to concentrate on the story. Besides, ads of certain products can make viewers frown. We call that ads ‘PPL’ and currently we have a number of examples of that sort. Must we keep doing that?
PPL is an abbreviation for Products in Placement. PPL is a kind of product advertising and service advertising which makes an attempt on indirect response such as spread effect, understanding. Viewers can recognize various products and raise brand awareness through PPL. Also, in terms of company, they can improve enterprise’s brand image and in terms of program production company, they can reduce production cost. For producing high quality programs, they require lots of production cost and they use PPL as an one way to cover it. It is used widely because of its strength that can minimize ‘advertisement avoidance situation’(a state that switches the TV channel when ad appears) and can enhance efficiency by maximizing exposure effect about product.
However, now we watch the current status of our nation’s tv programs, it seem to be a somewhat far away from its original purposes. Because there are number of excessive indirect ads that raise insistence about viewers being invaded their right to watch. Also, information is provided through PPL without any actual verification unlike direct ads that take advance deliberation. Commercialism of broadcasting can occur because of the advertiser’s manipulation to content of program and construction of program. Advertisements such as below can make viewers laugh at them and even can be parodied by netizen.
1.It’s an example of an air conditioner PPL which has no relations with the drama’s story.
2.A heroine walked into the toilet to take pill. Suddenly he put his cell phone in the water. In that scene, it’s a PPL about cell phone’s waterproof function.
3.It’s a scene about magnifying the messenger application. If they could not show to viewers, it should not be a problem.
Dramas that show immoderate advertisements like above are being criticized that who is main role of the play, products or man? Damages of indirect advertisements is very serious and strong enough.
The original purpose of PPL is based on restrictions that advertisement effect should not be shown by introducing and highlighting product’s design, label, trademark concretely. Recently the Broadcast Act about PPL has revised by Korea Communications Commission. Korea Communications Commission revised allowable time of PPL. Allowable time of PPL will be rise from 5 over 100 to 7 over 100 of program’s running time. But existing is 5 over 100, it’s hard to avoid excessive PPL actually because of the Act that don’t control about unavoidable reason with production and natural exposure. When a scene showing specific function of product is combined well with play, it will not be a problem at all. And there is an Act that if ad product consists of quarter of the screen, it will take a regulation. In fact, PPL product rarely consists of quarter of the screen. As amendment of allowance time of PPL is passed, concerns that not only destroy right of viewer’s but also lead to commercialism of broadcasting are being raised. In response to this, Korea Communications Commission said that it is just ‘materialization’ not ‘relaxing regulation’ and ensuring viewer’s right is most important thing in amendment.
It is a good situation that effect of creating market is getting higher by amendment of PPL. But the question is whether blatant PPL should go on despite of viewer’s displeasure. To reduce side effect of PPL, optimum level of PPL is required. PPL in the natural plot which is PPL’s original purpose is one way to reduce side effect. PPL in the natural plot must fulfill TPO(time, place, object). We can find the example of PPL that fulfill TPO in TV entertainment program ‘Dad Where We Go?’s tomato sauce. Tomato sauce that one of the program’s casts ‘Yoon Min-su’ uses sales increased of 50percent. Because it was matched well with program’s intend and father’s warmth. Also we can find the example of PPL that fulfill TPO in TV drama ‘A Man From Another Star’. That drama’s two heroines eat chicken and drink beer together, it leads to so called ’Chimaek fever’ in China. Like this, PPL which fulfills TPO can show PPL’s origin purpose well without viewer’s repulsion. Company and program producer also have to pay attention to it when produce program. One of its solution is to provide an institutional strategy that can solve financial problem when produce program. Also viewers also are required wise attitude that can filter unnecessary information and accept necessary information.
reporter’s eye 영문.docx