Monday night NPR's Marketplace, Kai Ryssdal did an interview with Abe Sauer of Brandchannel.com. Brandchannel is a website that gives out Product Placement Awards every year.
Product Placement is when companies [supposedly] pay big-bucks for their product to show up on the screen in a movie or television show. Guess who won the award for most products placed? Apple - no real surprise there.
But what is surprising is that - while Apple often provides free MacBooks or iPhones to sets - Apple doesn't pay for their products to be placed on TV and in films. Movies or shows use Apple products for the purpose of character acceleration.
Seeing a character use a certain product gives you an impression of who the producers want you to think that person is. What do you assume about a character when you see that little back-lit apple on their laptop? That they're sophisticated and creative? Another example from the Marketplace segment is when a character is placed in a Porsche 911 it's usually to give the impression that he's a tool (most often a he, but not always).
What do you do to accelerate your own character? For better or for worse?
What products do you use because of the cachet associated with them?
Do you carry a bilingual bible to church so people will think you are culturally relevant? But in all honesty you only ever read the English side.
Do you join the popular crowd when you walk into church so you can look like you belong? When in reality, last time you brought a friend with you were mad that no one talked to them.
Do you "dress for the job you want, not the job you have?" Character acceleration isn't always a bad thing, but we should always be aware of the impressions we are sending out.
What do you assume about other people's character based on the products they use?
Your own impressions of other people are influenced by their stuff.
Not everyone who drives a Porsche 911 is a tool.
Not everyone not everyone with an iPad is creative and sophisticated.
Not everyone with a Spanish/English Bible actually speaks Spanish.
Be aware of the impressions you are soaking in.