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Apple TV+ is Apple's streaming service, written, produced, and developed by Apple and its partners, so it shouldn't come as a surprise for anyone to learn that Apple products are commonly placed throughout scenes for Apple TV+ shows, but they're all done for specific reasons.

ted-lasso-macbook-scene.jpg

A new video report by The Wall Street Journal, which required watching over 74 episodes of Apple TV+ shows, including Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Defending Jacob, and Trying, outlines precisely how and why Apple product placements are done throughout specific episodes.

According to the report, throughout 74 Apple TV+ episodes, 300 iPhones, 120 MacBooks, and 40 pairs of AirPods were shown throughout certain scenes. That equates to over 700 Apple product placements. To put that into perspective, in one episode of Ted Lasso, a total of 36 Apple products were shown either on set or actively being used by characters.

To some, Apple is simply doing this as a promotion for its products, using the popularity and storyline of its shows to bolster its brand image. While undoubtedly true, the placements are strategic and not at all random. To understand the logic behind them, The Wall Street Journal cited Cristel Russell, a professor of marketing at Pepperdine University, to understand how brands, such as Apple, place their products in shows and movies.


The logic boils down to three areas; visuals, audio, and connection to the plot, according to Russel. A viewer's attention is typically geared towards the middle of the display, making product placements that are front and centered more noticeable. Apple uses that logic throughout several scenes of Ted Lasso and The Morning Show, for example, in which products are slowly brought into focus in the middle of the screen.

For audio, this may include references, such as the sound of an iOS notification or direct connections to Apple features and services. In several Ted Lasso scenes, characters can be heard stating they aim to FaceTime someone, or in one case in specific, Ted says he would buy some Apple stock. While subtle, Russell says these audio clips help consumers tie a connection to a particular brand or product.

Lastly, with plot connections, Apple TV+ show writers and producers aim to make direct emotional and physiological connections for viewers between a device and a character's life story. As referenced in the video, in particular scenes of Ted Lasso, Ted can be seen using his iPhone to help him connect with his wife as they complete a divorce.

As Apple takes great care and attention to detail as to when and how its products are shown in Apple TV+ content, the company is equally concerned over when not to show its products. A report from last year notes how Apple is deliberate in making sure that "bad guys" or villains in movies and shows are not seen using Apple devices since it may reflect poorly on Apple's image.

Article Link: Here's How Apple Strategically Places Its Products In Apple TV+ Shows
 
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Johnny907

macrumors 68000
Sep 20, 2014
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“Strategic?” They’re literally all over the place in their shows. Other than “For All Mankind” and “See,” for obvious reasons, it’s like Apple is the only tech company in these worlds. Funny part was when they were busted for editing out the notch on an iPhone 12 in an episode of Ted Lasso a couple weeks ago, as it proves even Apple is embarrassed about that thing.
 

4jasontv

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Jul 31, 2011
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The idea of the "bad guy" feels dated. Is Jamie or Rebecca considered bad? Nathan uses an iPhone. I get what they are trying to do, but interesting characters poorly fit such molds.
 
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fwmireault

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Jul 4, 2019
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As much as I love Ted Lasso, the product placement is very apparent, especially in the S02. I don’t mind that Apple promotes it’s own products on Apple TV+, but I don’t want to feel that the script is adaptated to call out Apple products or services (Coach Beard who shares an iCloud account, Ted who says he would have bought Apple stock, etc.). It was more subtil on The Morning Show
 

dapa0s

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Jan 2, 2019
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I think the wall street journal overanalyzed it lol. They just put Apple products instead of any other competing products, whenever they got a chance. The only exception that I've seen was with Mythic Quest, where obviously the game developers used plastic PC stuff mostly, and not Apple products.
 

Duncan-UK

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Sep 17, 2006
632
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It shows a pretty dim view of the intelligence of your customer base, if you are concerned about a bad guy using an Apple product. But then again, the "apple-washing" of the world continues apace - look at the cult-like fervour of a keynote, where every advert shows Apple Land - a place inhabited by only the beautiful, so long as they also tick every ethnic and identitarian box under the sun.

I positively LONG for an advert showing a grossly fat family glued to their sofas, ordering a shipping container of fried chicken to be delivered to their door, and them using the iPhone and/or watches to order and pay for their tasty meal. The could even include someone keeling over after ingesting their KFC and the watch sending out an alarm!!
 

AlexESP

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Sep 7, 2014
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“Strategic?” They’re literally all over the place in their shows. Other than “For All Mankind” and “See,” for obvious reasons, it’s like Apple is the only tech company in these worlds. Funny part was when they were busted for editing out the notch on an iPhone 12 in an episode of Ted Lasso a couple weeks ago, as it proves even Apple is embarrassed about that thing.
I bet we’re 3 episodes away from watching the sighted discovering an old Mac in “See”.
 

calzon65

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Jul 16, 2008
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I don't mind product placements in shows. With such great content on AppleTV, HBOMax, Showtime, EPIX, Netflix, etc., I don't watch any more "network television" because I can't stand traditional commercials.
 
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Ar40

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Mar 31, 2017
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I hate this aspect of TV+. It just gives so much fuel to the haters who think that TV+ is just a cynical marketing ploy to get people to buy more Apple products. Why dilute the quality of the content with pointless product placement? That's my only gripe with Apple. Personally, it doesn't bother me too much since I anyway have a full line of Apple products, so it's normal for me to see characters on TV using them. I just really don't like the bad optics of it for TV+.
 

nikhsub1

macrumors 68030
Jun 19, 2007
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mmmm... jessica.'s beer...
I think the wall street journal overanalyzed it lol. They just put Apple products instead of any other competing products, whenever they got a chance. The only exception that I've seen was with Mythic Quest, where obviously the game developers used plastic PC stuff mostly, and not Apple products.
Yeah one might think but I bet there are TEAMS of people at Apple deciding when/where/how/why/what their products are placed.
 
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Duane Martin

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Oct 15, 2004
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Calgary, Alberta
“Strategic?” They’re literally all over the place in their shows. Other than “For All Mankind” and “See,” for obvious reasons, it’s like Apple is the only tech company in these worlds. Funny part was when they were busted for editing out the notch on an iPhone 12 in an episode of Ted Lasso a couple weeks ago, as it proves even Apple is embarrassed about that thing.
Busted? Edited out of? Let me help you with that. Screens on devices in TV/Film are typically replaced with a VFX in post-production. So whomever created this graphic missed the notch, or more likely just didn't bother with it, and then nobody caught it. That happens all the time, by the way. It is not a conspiracy.

While we are getting our facts straight (I know, I know, no room for facts on MacRumours, just emotion and feigned outrage) S02E06 there is an Apple computer in For All Mankind.

Product placement has been around for a very long time, and selectively placing products has as well. It is not unusual for the "good guys" to use Apple products and the "bad guys" to use other. I think the first time I noticed the trend was in Buffy the Vampire Slayer but it was not invented there. Check out Chuck where you can see the computer product placement sponsor change over the seasons.
 

anthogag

macrumors 68020
Jan 15, 2015
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Canada
When a phone is destroyed they can show it's an Android phone.

A phone falls in the ocean or river and is retrieved and continues to work, it's an iPhone.
 
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HiVolt

macrumors 68000
Sep 29, 2008
1,634
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Toronto, Canada
I don't know what's the big deal about it, it's Apple pushing its own products in their productions. The story makes it sound like they're doing something extraordinary - they're not.

In fact its rather stupid how they favor Apple products and hardly anything else, it doesn't make it realistic.
 
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