In-Film Placements of Product Brands in Hindi Films:Practices and Preferences

In India, in-film placements have gained attention from film production houses and companies but not much information is available about the audience preferences regarding this form of communication. A survey of 280 young adults for their preferences towards in-film placements and the execution styles was conducted. A content analysis of 30 Hindi box-office hit movies to examine the in-film placements was performed. The audience preferences were compared with the actual practice of placements and the execution styles employed. Significant differences between audience preferences and actual practice were found for movie genre and mode of placements. The study also investigated the differences in preferences for placements across gender. The number of placements per film and the product category of the brand placed were found to differ significantly. Last, implications and directions for future research are also provided.