The Hotel Inspector - blatant Audi product placement?

[Fun Bus]

I'll often watch the hotel inspector as it amazes me how people think a business in the hotel industry can be run. What annoys me everytime I watch it though is the (what I think) blatant product placement of Audi. The camera work isn't accidental and I sometimes think it's an Audi advert. I thought product placement was allowed if declared at the beginning of the programme (I refer to the most recent series of HI which would fall into requiring this) this programme has none of this so how is it allowed?

Or is it just me that thinks this?!

[freecar]

I don't think you have to declare product placement to the viewer, otherwise every BBC show would have to admit plugging ipads every fking time they choose to show a graphic now! Ooh we'll have the presenter hold an ipad and zoom in for the viewer because all our viewers want to see are the presenters fat fingers all over the screen manipulating the image!

[marshalla]

freecar said:

I don't think you have to declare product placement to the viewer,

Yes they do : http://consumers.ofcom.org.uk/2011/02/product-plac...

[Riley Blue]

It would look rather silly if the four rings were taped over on the car in which she arrived at a hotel and would probably cause more comment too.

[55allgold]

Yes, it'll be some behind-the-scenes agreement, maybe a free loan. Sort of thing that pre-dates the product placement rules (a loophole?). Didn't an early series of The Apprentice get criticised for the same sort of thing?

Anyway, I blame that Simon Templar.

[Riley Blue]

55allgold said:

Anyway, I blame that Simon Templar.

...and Z Cars.

[SpeedBash]

Fun Bus said:

I'll often watch the hotel inspector as it amazes me how people think a business in the hotel industry can be run. What annoys me everytime I watch it though is the (what I think) blatant product placement of Audi. The camera work isn't accidental and I sometimes think it's an Audi advert. I thought product placement was allowed if declared at the beginning of the programme (I refer to the most recent series of HI which would fall into requiring this) this programme has none of this so how is it allowed?

Or is it just me that thinks this?!

I know what you mean as I have noticed this myself although I'm not sure if it is classified as officially product placement.

They did the same thing in Wheeler Dealers a few series ago where Brewer would be in a Honda Accord estate and the shots of him driving would be nicely framed so you could clearly see the front of the car or when he would search the classifieds he would be leaning against the back of the car. I think in the more recent series they have now switched to one of the non-descript Korean brands.

Riley Blue said:

It would look rather silly if the four rings were taped over on the car in which she arrived at a hotel and would probably cause more comment too.

Funny you should say that but I caught a few minutes of a US drama about a week ago (think it was Desperate Housewives) and the actors walk upto their Mercedes 4x4 which had the 3 pointed star removed from the badge in the grill. Made I laugh.

[Waugh-terfall]

But does this mean TVR and Land Rover use Grand Designs for product placement? Quite often the cameras follow Kevin's Cerbera or one of his Discovery's or Defenders, sometimes I think it's an advert...