ITV2 left too much product placement in its edits of 'American Idol'. Bastards. The UK TV network is meant to edit out the overt product placement that appears in the US show, but in some cases it failed to do so, or so says UK media regulator OfCom. In particular there were far too many close ups of Ford cars. The regulator said this week: "For example, one video had a matador theme with a Ford Mustang car (clearly identifiable from its logo, shown in close-up) playing the part of the bull. We considered that the involvement of the contestants in the videos was insufficient editorial justification for these very prominent visual references to Ford". ITV argued that it had no commercial relationship with Ford in relation to the programme, and that it included the referenced sequences "purely on their editorial merits". But they admitted that they were, perhaps, at times "on the borders of acceptability". Product placement is not allowed on British telly because of European laws on the matter.
Aug 22, 2007
•
1 min read
Ofcom criticises ITV2 over product placement in American Idol
Media regulator OfCom says ITV2 left too much Ford product placement in its edits of American Idol, including close-ups of a Ford Mustang.