Its a funny thing when you think about brands. Has it ever occurred to any one that when you wear a T-shirt with say the Nike logo, and the picture is posted on your Facebook, that you are giving them free advertising. Not only that but you even PAID to get the shirt, so in a way you as the consumer are paying the company to display their logo. Seems a little backwards to me. Usually its the company who pays people to do advertising for them, think about TVcommercials or billboards. Kind of makes me not want to buy those Nike sneakers or that American Eagle sweatshirt that clearly points out to the world that I personally endorse this brand and think that you should to even if I'm not getting a cut of the profits from them.
Its psychological when you see a friend of yours wearing a certain brand you get the feeling that they endorse it and therefore you should buy it. This idea works really well for the brands that are trying to sell more... whatever. But I still want to know why I have to pay $15 to show the world that they should get Old Navy T-Shirts when Old Navy is perfectly capable of putting ads in magazines and on TV. Wow I think I have spent too much time studying for all these communication exams, all I can think about when I open Facebook of watch a movie is "PRODUCT PLACEMENT!"
But I guess there is some benefit for product placement in you life that is if you use it well. Viral video make Devin Graham is making it work for him.
(image is from the movie back to the future as seen in the blog "Brands and Films")