Nerd Alert: The Power of Product Placements

Nerd Alert: The Power of Product Placements

August 13, 2026 · 10 min · Episode 120

About this episode

This episode explores the impact of product placements in movies on brand recall, using the example of Reese's Pieces in E.T.

Welcome to Nerd Alert, a series of special episodes bridging the gap between marketing academia and practitioners. We’re breaking down highly involved, complex research into plain language and takeaways any marketer can use. In this episode, Elena and Rob dig into whether product placement in movies sticks in viewers' memories, using the famous Reese's Pieces and E.T. story as a jumping-off point. Topics covered: [02:20] "The Effect of Product Placement in Movies on Brand Recall: A Meta-Analysis" [03:10] Why brands pay for screen time instead of commercial breaks [04:30] Cohen's d and what counts as a large effect [05:10] Kids and adults recall placements about the same [06:10] Execution matters more than exposure [07:40] Aston Martin versus BMW in the Bond franchise To learn more, visit marketingarchitects.com/podcast or subscribe to our newsletter at marketingarchitects.com/newsletter. Resources: Preethy Rose, M., & Shanthi, R. (2024). The effect of product placement in movies on brand recall: A meta-analysis. International Research Journal of Multidisciplinary Scope, 5(4), 807–814. Get more research-backed marketing strategies by subscribing to The Marketing Architects on…

People in this episode

Hosts: Elena, Rob

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: International Research Journal of Multidisciplinary Scope, Marketing Architects, Apple Podcasts, Spotify

Products: Reese's Pieces

Books & works: E.T.

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