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Coronation Street - Subtle Plugging ?


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Old 24-01-2007, 20:00
DBC
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There is a new story line just started on Corrie concerning Norris trying to get Rita to contact some old school friends and show-business associates. Could this be anything to do with ITV owning Friends Reunited or is it just a coincidence?
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Old 24-01-2007, 20:05
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Originally Posted by DBC
There is a new story line just started on Corrie concerning Norris trying to get Rita to contact some old school friends and show-business associates. Could this be anything to do with ITV owning Friends Reunited or is it just a coincidence?
They've done it before with Ken's book of Weatherfield, which was also released in the shops, and they got their wrists slapped then.

Unbelievable really.
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Old 24-01-2007, 21:33
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i can imagine it now "rita, look ive found a really good website, its called freinds reunited" (itv voiceover) "thats friends reunited, www.friendsreunited.co.uk visit it now" (back to norris) "ooh isnt that quiz mania good viewing"

Last edited by Rooftopcowboy : 24-01-2007 at 21:48.
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Old 24-01-2007, 21:38
minimalistmatt
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Originally Posted by Rooftopcowboy
(back to norris) "ooh isnt that quiz mania good viewing"
Ha Ha, they might try that one soon! Lets see how good a liar Norris is !
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Old 24-01-2007, 23:04
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Hardly subtle. Some of the most shameless plugging I've come across in a long time. It really cheapens the show as well.
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Old 24-01-2007, 23:22
torreviejalads
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Originally Posted by DBC
Could this be anything to do with ITV owning Friends Reunited or is it just a coincidence?
Thanks for that. It's been bugging me what site Norris might have been using
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Old 25-01-2007, 00:15
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Hardly product placement, which is only the case if a product has undue prominence without being storyline-related. Besides, there was no actual mention of Friends Reunited specifically, and the website that Norris was kooking at wasn't Friends Reunited. It's true that it IS the first name that pops into your head because of its market dominance. But if Sally suggested beans on toast for tea (which she would NEVER do now but has done many times in the past) you'd probably think of Heinz, but only because it's the brand leader.

This is an actual plot device rather than a casual mention of a product. The other day, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Bacardi Breezers were all mentioned in passing. (There was another brand mention in the same episode but I can't remember what it was.) It helps to make the show more 'real'.

Product placement is undue prominence in a show. It's likely this website (or rather, a storyline stemming from it will be featured quite heavily over the coming weeks and so they're not using anything real. As someone else pointed out, it's like Cilla using MyBuy auction site. Everyone knows she'd be using eBay and the site looked very much like it, but the actual brand name wasn't used.
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Old 25-01-2007, 11:17
tomvoxx
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Originally Posted by IslandNiles
Hardly product placement, which is only the case if a product has undue prominence without being storyline-related. Besides, there was no actual mention of Friends Reunited specifically, and the website that Norris was kooking at wasn't Friends Reunited. It's true that it IS the first name that pops into your head because of its market dominance. But if Sally suggested beans on toast for tea (which she would NEVER do now but has done many times in the past) you'd probably think of Heinz, but only because it's the brand leader.

This is an actual plot device rather than a casual mention of a product. The other day, Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Bacardi Breezers were all mentioned in passing. (There was another brand mention in the same episode but I can't remember what it was.) It helps to make the show more 'real'.

Product placement is undue prominence in a show. It's likely this website (or rather, a storyline stemming from it will be featured quite heavily over the coming weeks and so they're not using anything real. As someone else pointed out, it's like Cilla using MyBuy auction site. Everyone knows she'd be using eBay and the site looked very much like it, but the actual brand name wasn't used.
I think it's wonderfully done. The very fact that we are all assuming that Norris is using Friends Reunited is exactly what the scriptwriters (and ITV) are hoping for. As you so rightly say we have seen Norris on the computer and can see that it isn't the FR site. It doesn't stop us assuming that this is an ITV ploy and is a not-so-blatant attempt to plug their product.

I was rather more surprised by the reference to Bacardi Breezers recently. This is a product for which the scriptwriters could have used a generic alternative (alcopops??). I'm not sure if this particularly blatant in terms of product placement but it has certainly set a precedent.

Last edited by tomvoxx : 25-01-2007 at 11:20.
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Old 25-01-2007, 11:59
tubeoflube
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If they can say Bacardi Breezers, Harvey Nicks and Selfidges in passing, then why do they say they are popping to Freshco's!!

Just a thought.
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Old 25-01-2007, 12:28
Sloopy
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It is rather obvious. I always thought they had to avoid using genuine brand names because of all the product placement laws.
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Old 25-01-2007, 13:12
scrumpy_pumpy
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I love the ridiculous magazine names in the Kabin i.e. "Hi-ya" and last night's bizarre "Froodge" (or was that my failing eyesight?)
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Old 25-01-2007, 13:42
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Originally Posted by scrumpy_pumpy
I love the ridiculous magazine names in the Kabin i.e. "Hi-ya" and last night's bizarre "Froodge" (or was that my failing eyesight?)
haha i noticed "moxy" in there the other day - looked a bit like heat.

"hi'ya" is almost as good as hollyoaks' "hey today"
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Old 25-01-2007, 14:00
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They used to use 'Poodle' in Emmerdale .For those of you in doubt what I mean ..Google
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Old 25-01-2007, 14:02
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Originally Posted by tubeoflube
If they can say Bacardi Breezers, Harvey Nicks and Selfidges in passing, then why do they say they are popping to Freshco's!!

Just a thought.
One day someone will let it slip and say Tesco!

I'll beggar off now for lunch
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Old 25-01-2007, 16:35
IslandNiles
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Originally Posted by tubeoflube
If they can say Bacardi Breezers, Harvey Nicks and Selfidges in passing, then why do they say they are popping to Freshco's!!

Just a thought.
For pretty much the reasons you have stated.

The other brand names were mentioned in passing. They weren't being advertised as such, and I think some references to real products and events makes the whole thing seem more real.

Freshco's is a place that's regularly mentioned, and s to have people carrying around actual supermarket bags all the time would be undue prominence. Besides, Frescho's has existed for a while and used to be featured quite heavily. They're never going to use a real brand for things like this because if, for example, they used Tesco (which they wouldn't allowed to anyway) then Tesco probably wouldn't be too happy about some of the storylines involving, for instance, dodgy working practices.
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Old 25-01-2007, 16:46
thomasblue
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I remember eastenders done something the other week E Buy when Darren was selling some DVDs in a foreign language that Mickey bought off that girl
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Old 26-01-2007, 00:33
mark01942
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When Curly used to work in BettaBuy, it was actually filmed in a high street super market chain,
I used to spot the "own brand" stuff on the shelves, although not blatantly obvious-is this product placement?
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Old 26-01-2007, 00:46
performingmonk
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They should bring back Freshco/Bettabuys. At the moment on Corrie it seems as though no-one is allowed to leave the street at all, it never goes away from the set.
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Old 26-01-2007, 01:28
Cent
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Originally Posted by DBC
There is a new story line just started on Corrie concerning Norris trying to get Rita to contact some old school friends and show-business associates. Could this be anything to do with ITV owning Friends Reunited or is it just a coincidence?
They did it back when they bought the site too. Roy was using the internet to trace people I seem to remember.
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Old 26-01-2007, 21:07
mark01942
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on the subject of corrie-2 things are wrong with the opening titles.
1) the mysterious tram that is only ever seen (or HEARD!) just the once!
2) the shot of the arch that USED to lead to another street MANY years ago, but was suddenly bricked up and transformed into kevins garage at some point without anyone noticing or MISSING it!!!
*The digital montage of real streets blended with the fictional corrie street work ok, but THAT tram...they really should erase it!!!!
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Old 26-01-2007, 21:20
James2001
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Originally Posted by mark01942
When Curly used to work in BettaBuy, it was actually filmed in a high street super market chain,
I used to spot the "own brand" stuff on the shelves, although not blatantly obvious-is this product placement?
BettaBuy was Morrisons
Firman's Freezer's was Farmfoods
FreshCo was (I think) the Co-Op.
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Old 26-01-2007, 21:30
DBC
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Originally Posted by mark01942
on the subject of corrie-2 things are wrong with the opening titles.
1) the mysterious tram that is only ever seen (or HEARD!) just the once!
2) the shot of the arch that USED to lead to another street MANY years ago, but was suddenly bricked up and transformed into kevins garage at some point without anyone noticing or MISSING it!!!
*The digital montage of real streets blended with the fictional corrie street work ok, but THAT tram...they really should erase it!!!!
Don't forget that Coronation Street operates in a parallel universe that has no connection with real life. This is the place where you can buy a house or business in a week, where you can become the manager of a travel agency or a pub without any previous experience or where a pleasant and mild-mannered character will suddenly turn into a raving lunatic.
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Old 26-01-2007, 22:23
pjb007
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Originally Posted by James2001
BettaBuy was Morrisons
It was, and it was the one in Eccles shopping precinct. I remember the signs and being told by some of the staff.

Never saw any filming though.
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Old 26-01-2007, 22:42
reggiethedog
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I'm glad I'm not the only one who picked up on this shameless plug. Something should be done about this, whilst the legendary Norris didn't actually refer to the site as friendsreunited, that is the only site anybody will think of when it comes to contacting old school friends.

I expected better of Norris!

I'm pretty sure I noticed a very large size chocolate bar in one resident's house just before Christmas, with a shiny foil purple wrapper. Hmmm wonder what kind of chocolate that might have been?
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Old 26-01-2007, 22:57
James2001
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Nah... the show's sponsor couldn't possibly be flogging their wares
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