Product Placement

I'm going to open this thread with a video from a certain Tom Scott as it serves as a good introduction:


I don't doubt what Scott says, he knows his stuff and I'm damned if I can do any better than him.

However I was under the impression the effective prohibition of product placement and the requirement to separate adverts and contents started with the launch of ITV (albeit in one region) in 1955, whereas the video suggests the regime started later on in the 1960s. Presumably in the 1950s there wasn't the full-on in your face American style of product placement, which was the norm then and is still the norm now on a greater scale.

Interestingly the comments on Scott's video seem to suggest how we handle product placement and advertising is the best thing since sliced bread compared to say the US market.

I presume many other regions in the world behave similar to the US market save for those markets such as Australia and IIRC Germany that have state broadcasters which don't subscribe to product placement?

I think there's a different slant to take on this. In terms of YouTubers, a lot of people feel they've gained their position based on their authenticity. If one doesn't declare their sponsorship that could be an indication that a particular personality is fake, and therefore not worth investing time in.

To be honest I'd assumed anyone who had an interest in the history of British TV was already aware of the 50s/early 60s Admags. Some are quite legendary- one called Jim's Inn, set in a pub, is one that springs to mind.