Buzz Agents

My company has decided to start a new "buzz-agent" campaign.  They are calling them the "all volunteer army".  My company makes medical devices and having our patients recommend our product to others is a great way to expand business.  Doctors are not allowed to recommend products from specific vendors due to liabilities.  What better way is there to promote a product then by a person that is already implanted with that product?  

It will be interesting to see how this new program affects our overall sales.

Product Placement

I'd like to watch TV one evening without being bombarded with product ads.  Here's the problem; I almost never watch live TV anymore now that I have a DVR and I still can not escape the product ads even fast forwarding through the commercials.  I suppose there's always been a certain level of product placement in movies and TV but it never seemed to be as prevalent as it is today.  Or maybe I'm just more sensitive to it because I'm taking this class.  Either way, there is no denying the fact that it's there.  One of the more obvious seems to be on Bravo's Top Chef. TONS of placement in this show. First, the winner receives a kitchen complements of GE.  Diet Dr. Pepper is another sponsor and one entire episode revolved around the chefs making their dishes using a Diet Dr. Pepper.  Finally, take a look at the shelves in the background when the chefs are waiting to be called to the judge's table.  The shelves are littered with noting but cases and cases of Diet Dr. Pepper and Glad bags.  These are just a few examples from this show.