How Brands Appear in Children’s Movies. A Systematic Content Analysis of the Past 25 Years

• In Event: Under the Hood: Content Analytic Insight Into the Media Landscape of Children & Teens (HHD Session)

Abstract

Based on a theoretical framework of product placement characteristics, we present the most comprehensive content analysis of children’s movies to date. We analyzed the integration of brands in 250 movies from 1991 to 2015. We found that 64.4% of all movies contained at least one placement of a real brand. Comedies and movies produced in the U.S. contained a higher number of brand placements compared to other genres and non-U.S. movies. Animated movies and movies presenting a nature-, or fantasy-scenery contained a comparatively low number of placements. Brands were inserted mostly visually, and placed in the center of the screen without explicit evaluation. Placements frequently presented a physical or verbal interaction with a main character. This practice was found to increase over time even though the sole number of brand placements remained stable over the past 25 years. Implications for parents, consumer advocacy groups, and advertising researchers are discussed.

Authors

• Brigitte Naderer, U of Vienna

• Jorg Matthes, U of Vienna

• Ines Katrin Spielvogel, U of Vienna