Prada Placement A Content Analysis of High Culture

Prada Placement: A Content Analysis of High Culture Goods in Gossip Girl (2007) By: Carly Zagaroli

Research Questions �Based on product placement in the show Gossip Girl (2007), what are the underlying themes and messages being promoted to young female viewers? �What kinds of products are Gossip Girl (2007) characters promoting to viewers? �How are Gossip Girl (2007) characters promoting products to audience members?

Thesis �The product placement in Gossip Girl (2007) promotes the values of the dominant culture to young females; the main value promoted is the consumption of high culture and upper-class goods.

Literature Review �Advertising and Product Placement �Smythe (1954) � Audiences act upon program content �Miller (1988) � TV as an effective corporate tool to push consumption �Andersen (1995) � Advertisers lead viewers to a specific product �Stern and Russell (2004) � Studied individuals with high marketing knowledge

Literature Review �Youth and Consumption �Maccoby (1951) � Investigated effects of television on children �Hartley (1970) � Television is passively learned by children �Braun (2000) � Greater recall of products if placed within a show �Quart (2004) � Media exposes teen females to a life a luxury

Literature Review �Attitudes About Consumption �Alper and Leidy (1970) � Television as a tool to shape viewers’ attitudes �Weigel and Jessor (1973) � Children’s behaviors and attitudes in relation to the conventional norms and values of the time �Shrum and O’Guinn (1997) � Viewers’ perceptions of reality in relation to time watching television �Heckler, Russel, and Norman (2004) � Viewer/character relationships on the show Friends (1994)

Consumption Theory �Veblen (1899) and Bourdieu (1979) �Veblen’s “Conspicuous Consumption” � Lavish spending on goods and services � Purpose � Appear of displaying socio-economic status in higher classes-filters down to lower classes

Consumption Theory �Bourdieu’s “Taste as a Sense of Distinction” �Social class is revealed by one’s preferences and tastes � Economic Capital � Cultural Capital � Embodied Capital � Objectified Capital � Institutionalized Capital

Methodology �Quantitative Content Analysis �Random sample of episodes � 20 Episodes coded-2 seasons (10 per season) � Name of episode, season, and episode number � Product count � Name of product � Type of product � Location of product � Character(s) in scene with product � Age of character(s), gender, and attitude toward product � Any phrases from the characters that are relevant to research

Strengths/Weaknesses �Strengths �Coding can be easily replicated �Inexpensive research method �Large number of episodes coded �Weaknesses �Limited to one show �Not able to generalize to men �Unable to identify the effect of product placement on the viewer at home

Findings � 241 total products placed in 20 episodes coded � 97 products in first season, 144 in second season �Males-55 products �Females-139 Products �No character-33 Products � Positive attitude towards 30 products � Neutral attitude towards 200 products � Negative attitude towards 11 products

Season 1 vs. Season 2 Product Types

Adults vs. Teens Product Types

Findings Teen Males vs. Teen Females in Percentages

Discussion �Teen females promote majority of products �Largely female audience �Technology, clothing �Most products promoted with neutral attitude � Veblen’s argument on who constructs “High Culture” �Young Females viewing the consumption of high culture goods as a sense of normalcy on the show

Thank you! � Questions?