I have a sudden urge for...

As I was watching one of my currently favored shows, I noted some product placement scenes. You know about product placement? It's where certain brand name items are placed in a contextual but prominent location. That is, for example, is shown on the kitchen counter or when a refrigerator is opened, a brand name of soda is displayed. Maybe several cans or bottles in the refrigerator, all lined up in such a way so the brand is clearly shown. I don't know about you but I don't line up anything in my refrigerator. Everything is just tossed in wherever it will fit with no regard which side is showing.

As I was growing up, there was a lot of talk about subliminal advertising. In those schemes, a momentary flash of a product would be shown during a movie or a TV show. It would be too fast to notice it interrupting the picture but slow enough for it to register on the subconscious. A movie theater, it was said, might flash the words "popcorn" or "soda" on the screen to subconsciously entice people to visit the refreshment counter.

Snopes reveals it never happened, that it's a myth.

Probably so. It would be hard for me to contradict Snopes. It wasn't supposed to work 100% of the time or on 100% of the people and I don't recall ever getting urges for any soda, popcorn, or candy while watching a movie. I always loaded up before sitting down for the first time.

But not too long ago, I became aware of the practice of product placement. That apparently works. Or at least the product makers believe it does. You see it constantly. I understand the makers of various products pay some big bucks to get favorable placement of their products onto TV shows and in movies. And the producers of those shows and movies are happy to take that money.

I don't believe I am influenced by the practice but how would I know for sure? I suspect I am not because I lean toward generic products. I am cheap and brand names are more expensive so I don't buy them very often. I purposely avoid buying them.

But what about you? Or your friends?