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Analysing Brand Product Placements in Netflix Series

This project analyzes how product placements work across Netflix shows by comparing subtle, forced, and integrated brand appearances. We conducted viewer interviews to understand which placements feel natural and which feel like obvious ads. The result is a critique of how branding blends, or clashes, with storytelling.

Project Type

Brand Placement Critique & Viewer Response Study

Date

February 2024

Course

Fundamentals of Advertising: Creative & Copywriting | Semester 6

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“I didn’t even notice the Apple logo—maybe that’s why it worked.”

What Sparked This?

This assignment was part of our advertising module focused on understanding the relationship between storytelling and branding. We were asked to analyze product placements in a media property of our choice. As media students, and Netflix regulars, we chose to explore how product placements are executed in popular series, from Stranger Things to 13 Reasons Why. The idea was to not just critique placements ourselves, but test them with real viewers too.

What I Explored

The core question was: What makes a product placement feel right, and what makes it stick (or flop)?

We studied three types of product placement:

  • Integrated Explicit (e.g., Durex in Sex Education)

  • Non-Integrated Explicit (e.g., Coca-Cola in Breaking Bad)

  • Implicit (e.g., Apple in 13 Reasons Why)


We showed curated scenes to four viewers (aged 19–25) and gathered their instant reactions. Our goal was to gauge emotional responses, recall, and whether the placement disrupted or enhanced their viewing experience. What stood out was how natural integration and subtle alignment with character or tone were often more effective than in-your-face branding.

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My Key Takeaways

  • Learned how to differentiate between visual prominence and narrative relevance in brand placements

  • Realized that viewers are more brand-aware than brands assume, especially Gen Z audiences

  • Understood the emotional spectrum placements operate within—from inspiration to irritation

  • Got practical experience in qualitative analysis, user testing, and marketing critique

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