The Effectiveness of Product Placement in Music Videos: A Study on the Promotion Strategies for Brands and Products to Target the Y Generation in Johannesburg

Abstract

Product placements are strategic brand placements within media that are meant to be noticed by the consumer, to further influence purchase intentions. Placements in music videos have grown in recent years however, there is little research on placements in this medium and available research has not measured the influence of product placement on purchase intention. The study addressed the gap where product placement in music videos was under researched. This paper investigated the effectiveness of brands and products placements in music videos in influencing the purchase intentions of the Y generation population living in Johannesburg. A self-administered research questionnaire was used to collect data through a quantitative research method by convenience sampling of 420 randomly chosen respondents, aged between 18-27, obtained from the University of the Witwatersrand and Johannesburg. A six minute music video stimulus was used for respondents to base their opinions about placements. The results indicate reliability of the constructs in the model developed as Cronbach Alphas were greater than 0.6 for the variables. The main findings show the variables individual factors and execution stimulus are significantly related to brand recall, brand recognition and brand choice. In turn, brand recall, brand recognition and brand choice influence the consumer’s purchase intentions. The strongest linear relationship existed between brand choice and purchase intention. Placement strategies are equally effective for consumers in the Y generation of differing genders, income brackers and age groups. The research reveals that music videos are an effective platform to reach the targeted Y generation population and the model adapted for placements in music videos shows the stages of the processing in the consumer’s mind from exposure to placements to the final purchase intention. The findings contribute to the knowledge of strategies marketers should use to promote brands and products to effectively target the South African Y generation.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n20p2095