Commentary by Guangming Daily: The hit drama "Barbarian Bringing Goods" harms the reputation of the series and "destroys withered weeds"

In the context of rule of law in China, there should be more standardized considerations for placement of advertising. The interaction between plot and advertisement should at least be within the framework of the rule of law.

In the context of the rule of law in China, there should be more standardized considerations for placement in advertising. The interaction between plot and advertisement should at least be within the framework of the rule of law. In this regard, the number of embedded advertisements may fall within the scope of quality autonomy of the producer and the scope of industry supervision of the radio and television department, but the content of embedded advertisements obviously needs to be adjusted and regulated by upgraded laws and regulations such as the Advertising Law.

Which is better for TV series product placement? I am afraid that the current popular "Ode to Joy 2" will not be allowed to do so. According to the list of thank-you merchants displayed at the end of the film, more than 50 brand merchants of various types have been implanted in the show. Advertising brands are colorful and implanted in a variety of ways. From scenes to plots, from lines to props... it can be said to be "both soft and hard" and pervasive.

Some people say that such "barbaric bringing of goods" makes "Ode to Joy" become "Ode to Advertising". Although this statement is biased, the reason why Douban's rating plummeted to 5.2 is not only that such consensus as protracted plot and skewed character design, but also that there are so many advertisements that people feel "dramatic" at any time is an indisputable factor.

The words are divided into two ends. On the one hand, commercial dramas are not public welfare films. Pursuing maximizing profits "in terms of business" is also a common thing that conforms to the law of value. It can be seen that the creators of "Ode to Joy 2" really put a lot of thought into the huge amount of advertising placement. What's more, on October 11, 2011, the former State Administration of Radio, Film and Television issued the "Notice on Further Strengthening the Management of Radio and Television Advertisements"; on November 28 of that year, it issued the "Supplementary Provisions to the Measures for the Management of Radio and Television Advertisements"-Under the "Broadcasting Restriction Order", it seems reasonable to implant advertisements to share the "immediate needs" of TV advertisements. According to some data, the market size of product placement advertising in China reached 7.8 billion yuan in 2013.

On the other hand, overestimating the "ability to bring goods" of hit dramas will inevitably lead to a "death unless you make it" ending. In the plot of the new season, for example, the protagonist Fan Shengmei, a human resources manager who has been working for nearly 10 years, was actually hired by a headhunting company to become a "financial consultant" for a brand implantation company. No wonder even her boyfriend looks ignorant; Another example is Andy, the protagonist who loves to drink mineral water. His habits in this episode have not changed, but he has become more down-to-earth-he has changed directly from imported high-end water to domestically produced goods... Similar advertising implants that violate common sense of the plot and identity of the characters, coupled with the stiff lens arrangements and awkward appearance and positioning, the damage to the reputation of a good drama may also be devastating.

Advertising placement for hit dramas has become a trend in the industry. From "Invincible Ugly" in 2010 to "Let's Get Married" in 2013, to "Ode to Joy 2" in 2017-the impact of implant advertising on the quality of TV dramas has finally become a real issue in the field of TV art. As netizens said, even costume dramas can be implanted with facial masks. Why can't the protagonists in modern urban dramas become "walking billboards"? But the problem is, everything is too much. If you rely on IP craze to "bring goods barbaric", are the audience watching embedded advertisements or "embedded plots"?

If the vision is broader, in the context of rule of law in China, placement of advertising should have more standardized considerations. As early as 2015, Cheng Biqian, a scholar at the University of Lancaster in the United Kingdom, published an article entitled "Implant placement affects children's cognition and should be subject to legal regulations", drawing attention to the normative issues of implant placement. The interaction between plot and advertisement should at least be within the framework of the rule of law. In this regard, the number of embedded advertisements may fall within the scope of quality autonomy of the producer and the scope of industry supervision of the radio and television department, but the content of embedded advertisements obviously needs to be adjusted and regulated by upgraded laws and regulations such as the Advertising Law.

In a word, the "ability to bring goods" of hit dramas cannot be just a topic of conscience.

Editor: jessica