Social Media Product Placement

Pete Cashmore shows us how any old Joe, like Ask a Ninja, can build a global social media brand overnight with zero marketing dollars by utilizing all of the existing social networks.

I don't think a corporation could pull this off in the same way. However, the stars in the social media universe are ripe for product placement. The big question is will their fans accept it. I expect that we'll see products popping up in shows like Ask a Ninja and Rocketboom later this year as well as in popular podcasts and blogs too.

Technorati Tags: Peer Media, Pete Cashmore, Product Placement, Mashable

Comments

[Drew]

Hi Steve, I also think product placement will be big in the future in online video, however, we will NEVER do this with Rocketboom.

The biggest problem with mixing product placement and information sharing is that the audience will be treated unfairly.

Its kinda like trying to pull one over on the audience. Even when it's transparent, its just a reverse psychology trick in my opinion.

The audience will also easily become confused about what was intended and what was done just for product money.

Thats not to say its universally bad or cant work out in some ways, but Rocketboom will never do it.

Thanks for all your writings Steve, great insight as usual. I look forward to meeting up one day.

[Ed Kohler]

Are t-shirts mentioned in the recent Rolling Stone article sent in by audience members a form of product placement?

Rolling Stone Article:
http://tinyurl.com/lpjyg

[Drew]

Well, we don't get paid for them and Amanda only selects the T-shirts that she likes. Very much like the news stories we pick each day to feature and link to.