US Guilds call for product placement controls

The Writers Guild of America west and East have called for a code of conduct to govern the growing use of product placement on TV and in films.

"The weaving of paid-for product advertisements into the storylines of television and film raises serious ethical questions,” said WGAw President Patric M. Verrone. “The traditional standards & practices governing commercial product placement are increasingly being swept aside in favor of product integration and branded entertainment. In their race to the bottom line to create the so-called new business model, network and advertising executives are ignoring the public's interest and demanding that creative artists participate in stealth advertising disguised as a story.

“The public has a right to be informed that they are viewing de facto subliminal advertising - and creative artists have a right to exercise their creative voices when required to participate in such advertising."

The LA Times has more coverage.