A ton of money goes into branding, obviously.  The commercials at Super Bowl time will tell you this.  More money goes into what is called product placement: technically, a sitcom or series does not make visible any product name not being endorsed.  That is, for example, consider the show that features a kid crying over a bad time in school the day before.  Mom comes to the table, where the kid is eating—or trying to eat breakfast—to find out why he is so reluctant to go to school this morning.  On the table are milk and cereal, but we audience members/viewers, even those watching on portable projection screens , do not see the labels…or if we do, the cereal is called “Toasted Purple Oats” and the milk carton just reads, “Milk”.  With product placement, however, the company products are intentional displayed, and the brand names intentionally shown.  

So if you think about it, you might be getting a dose of almost subliminal advertising—those it is above not below the line of consciousness—which subtly nudges you to buy the Coke or Pepsi the character is swilling on a hot day, for instance.  But then there as-seen-on-TV-products.  These are not the as-seen-on-TV products that just happen to be a part of the show, plot, storyline, or what have you, as in the Macintosh laptop Carrie is writing on for her column, in the show Sex in the City.  These are the as-seen-on-TV products that the industry wants you to directly be aware of as a Television advertised product and wants you to look for, describe to others and the telemarketing clerk, and buys as specific as-seen-on-TV products.

The advertising for these is blatant and inclusive of the “as-seen-on-TV product(s)” label as it is the company name label and the product name/description label.  In other words, try this: close your eyes and ears so you are not looking at or listening to any external stimuli.  Now, just visualize the AS SEEN on TV lettering.  Can you see it?  Likely you can, and an even see the jagged star encircling the phrase.  Now, again without looking at or listening to anything else, try to come up with just one of those as-seen-on-TV products that you recall from having seen, heard about, or bought.  I bet you can do it.  I can.  The Thigh-Master.  The pot holder weaving device.  The multi-functional Bob Vila tool(s).  Those bags that you stuff with storage items then suck with a reverse vacuum.  Food dehydrators.  Oldies but goodies.

It works, doesn’t it?  The advertising, that is.  May your next as-seen-on-TV product work as well!