Gaga for Product Placement

Lady Gaga with Miracle WhipLady Gaga is raising eyebrows with her latest racy music video, Telephone, but this time it's not because of the overt sexuality, the wacky costumes or even the fact that her co-star is Beyonce'. What's grabbing attention is the video's flagrant product placement. Gaga prominently displays at least ten different brands in the video, including Virgin Mobile (sponsor of her Monster Tour), Miracle Whip, Wonder Bread, Polaroid and Diet Coke. Of the many products shown, only a few brands paid to be included, according to Gaga's manager, Troy Carter. Wonder Bread's appearance was unpaid, but Miracle Whip paid to be featured, even though in the video Gaga combines the two products to poison a diner full of patrons. Polaroid cameras appeared after Gaga signed a new deal to become creative director for the Polaroid company. She is charged with reinvigorating the brand, which was killed off by the digital camera revolution (but is attempting a comeback). Gaga now reportedly has a financial interest in the company, and her own line of Polaroid products is slated to come out later this year. After its release, the Telephone video generated close to 4 million views on YouTube in under 24 hours. And get ready for more product placement in future Gaga videos: Telephone ends with the message, "To be continued."

Comments

I really don't understand how Lady Gaga's product placement in her music videos can be represented as 'spin'.

She is a commercial recording artist. Her aim is to make money and sell records.

She has never pretended to be a voice of disenfranchised youth or have 'artistic integrity'.

You are essentially criticising a pop artist for being a pop artist.

This is a world away from, say, an artist that writes songs about or protests against climate change having a large carbon footprint when they are touring or having phoney claims about carbon offsets on their website.

CMD should be about spin - on the left or right - not taste. Just as there is no accounting for taste, there's no accountability either.

Many people listen to music because they like music, unaware that the music is being used as a commercial marketing delivery vehicle for promoting non-musical products to them. And besides, if you think that Miracle Whip, Wonder Bread and Diet Coke are in good taste, then there's no reasoning with you anyway.

Anne Landman

Lady Gaga is very professional artist. I'm fanatic of her. I love her voice and the way she fashionate her self perfect! ... But I want you to know that if you are impersonator of her... be sure that you deserve it!

Paid placement loses the authenticity of third-party credibility. Even though a product is coupled with a celebrity endorsement, that endorsement may not be as valuable to an informed consumer. For example, Lady Gaga’s endorsement of Wonderbread or Diet Coke has a greater potential for influence than paid placement. While the Miracle Whip placement is advertising as it is paid, the Wonderbread appearance would be considered a result of public relations as the coverage was earned. Wonderbread earned the placement, because Lady Gaga liked the product and already had a connection with it. Based on the ethical value of transparency, product placements should be revealed, resulting in the decrease of effectiveness of an inauthentic third-party endorser.