Movies have always attracted large audiences at theaters and now at home (TV, VCRs, DVDs). Because there are so many available movies, and so many themes (adventure, romance, horror), this allow advertisers, if they wish, to target very specific audiences. Yet, it's often cheaper for advertisers when buying TV time simply to scattershot the ads to accompany many different kinds of movies.

"Coming Attractions" (or "trailers" or "promos") are ads promoting other movies made by the same company. Such ads have always been common in theaters, but now also appear in video rentals. Of special concern are those ads in childrens' videos promoting other movies for kids: an in-house salesman, often targeting pre-schoolers, and their pester power. While annoyed adults can fast-forward, kids -- the target audience -- are apt to replay these ads over and over.

Product placement within movies has gone on for a long time: manufacturers have paid (or bribed) to have their products appear, usually in the background. But, in recent years, since many movie studios have been bought by larger corporations, their other products have been frequently placed prominently in the foreground. For example, now movie-goers often see the hero drinking a specific brand of cola, or wearing brand name jeans, without knowing that these brands are put there very deliberately. Hollywood box office profits now are often overshadowed by the money made in the movie's various tie-ins and franchises (toys, games, fast food restaurants.)

Product placement within television shows is rapidly increasing; by 2003, companies spent $360 million to get their products flashed onscreen within the program itself, usually as part of a package deal offered to their advertisers who buy a lot of commercial time. Industry experts note: "CBS Chairman Les Moonves has predicted that up to 75% of all scripted prime-time network shows will soon feature products paid for by advertisers and integrated into plot lines."

Advertisers worry that TiVo (and other electronic devices to zap out ads) will screen out their regular 30-second spots. Nielsen Media Research now offers advertisers a service to identify and to clock these scenes in which products are inserted visible to audiences, and "casual" references made by actors to products.

"Event marketing" is increasing: advertisers associating their products with concerts (e.g. Ameriquest sponsored the last Rolling Stones tour; Ameriquest is a sub-prime mortgage company, their target audience is the middle-age "baby boomers" who make up much of the aging audience of Sir Mick Jagger), sporting events (e.g. General Motors paid NBC $1 billion dollars to buy the ad time as the sponsor of the Olympics in 2000, 2004, 2008; NASCAR racers and race cars are covered with ads) and movies (e.g. Disney movies and McDonald's have a new 10 year alliance, with ads and promotions from both luring kids to see the movies, then to collect the toys at McDonalds). Recommended Reading: Mark Crispin Miller, Seeing Through Movies.