I believe that product placement in television and movies is definitely an affective means of advertising. Mostly because it is not "in your face" advertising; its more suggestive. I hate diet coke and if Jared Padelecki (one of my favorite actors) came on a commercial and tried to endorse it i wouldn't go out and buy it. I would recognize that buying a product just because he endorsed it is stupid and would stay clear of it just to spite the advertising institution. But, if he was casually sipping a diet coke while researching wendigo lore on a supernatural episode, i might be inclined to buy a diet coke and give it another chance. People don't like to think that they are being manipulated and have learned that advertising commercials do just that. But product placement is more subtle and therefore more affective because people are less inclined to bulk against it.