Product Placement Value on ER

Pinning a value on any ad is tricky. Doing so in the Wild West world of product placement is even harder. Consulting firm iTVX has a formula. Starting with the value of the show’s commercial time, and factoring in elements like clarity of picture, time on screen, and the product’s connection to the story line, it arrives at a dollar figure. Here are some examples, with iTVX founder Frank Zazza’s explanation. Show: ER Placement: In a quiet moment, one doctor buys another a package of M&M’s from a hospital vending machine. Value: $430,618 Explanation: “In this scene, the candy is part of a romantic conversation between the two characters. The product is mentioned by name and is the focus of one character’s act of kindness toward another. The presence of verbal and visual elements heightens the value of this placement.”