Product placement in new media

The development of technology contributed to the development of new media. People are increasingly choosing to communicate, to inform themselves, or work on the Internet, and they are exposed to a large number of messages on a daily basis. Today, companies should communicate with consumers using more creative and effective methods, in order to be noticed and survived in unfavorable market conditions. Covert paid journalistic articles or hybrid messages, mostly known in public as product placement, are getting more and more. The technique of product placement is not in line with the ethical expectations of journalists, advertising and public relations profession. While the ultimate goal of traditional advertising is - an ad, isolated, the method of product placement subtly presents the product within the film, television program, video games, etc. The individual is, in most cases, aware of the moment in contact with a commercial advertisement (he can ignore it), while in cases of product placement the situation is different, because he becomes a potential buyer of the same product or service, often unconsciously exposed to forms of commercial advertising. This paper highlights the magnitude and properties of product placement in new media. The distinction was made between the covert and classic advertisement and underlying all the reasons for the increasing use of product placement in media content, with the special focus on new media.