product invasion

Some people are very upset at how much product placement has increased in the past few years. The Writers Guild of America, West Coast Division, is so upset that they launced an anti-placement website called "Product Invasion". The site has many pages with interesting videos, activities and facts.

The "Behind the Scenes" page gives some shocking and extremely interesting facts about what goes on in the product placement/showbiz world. For example, on the MTV show "Real World/Road Rules Challenge" cast members were paid to talk about T-Mobile phones and had to say lines over and over again until the rep from T-Mobile would ask them to say it again. Also the cast wasn't enthusiastic enough about some of it's placed prizes and their reactions had to be shot over, with them looking more excited the second time around.

Another page is a spoof on Burger King's viral "Subservient Chicken" campaign. Product Invasion has it's very own "Subservient Donald". In this version, Donald Trump will say anything you type, playing on the fact that his show "The Apprentice" is known for it's extensive and often extremely obvious product placements.

Also, the site provides a pre-made nasty message to send to advertising executives and production companies. The highly sarcastic and witty messages can actually be sent to executives but are effective in getting the Guild's point across just by having a website visitor read them.

Overall, the Product Invasion site is funny, entertaining, and is sure to create some buzz of it's own. Although writers have so far been uneffective in getting their qualms about product placement heard, maybe this website will drum up some support from viewers. But hey, even if it doesn't do that, it still will create a buzz.