Reverse Product Placement

Today I read the article "Forward Thinkers Push Reverse Product Placement" and learned all about a form of product placement that I had never really thought of before. Reverse product placement is the idea of creating a fictional brand in a fictional environment (the article uses the idea of Duff brand beer, the favorite of Simpson's character Homer) and turning in to a real life product. Another example the article uses is that of Willy Wonka Chocolate Bars that are now being sold on every candy shelf but started out in the famous story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The reason I really found this concept fascinating was the fact that in class we have been talking about how to break through to the target market of young male consumers. Reverse product placement is perfect for this as it is commonly used in videogames. It is a great way to introduce a product, get people talking about it, and then selling it in real life.

Although it may not be a huge opportunity, there is definitely something there, especially for reaching that hard to target younger male audience.

Some other examples in this article of reverse product placement already out there are Bubba Gump Shrimp Restaurants from the Forest Gump movie, Potion drinks from FinalFantasy video games, and Bertie Botts Beans candy from Harry Potter. Judging by the popularity of all of these mediums, reverse product placement is bound to gain popularity in the near future.