On Product Placement

Call me nerdy but one of my favorite "games" to play while watching television or a movie is "Find the Product Placements." Product placement is ubiquitous in media.  I love to imagine the strategy behind it.  Why did the Marketing VP of Oreo Cookies decide to place their product in the TV show "Friends" rather than "7th Heaven"? What would have happened if Wayne had eaten a Domino's Pizza instead? Are the decision makers at M&Ms prejudice against extraterrestrials?  Why this show or that movie? Why do television/movie producers seek out specific products as opposed to others?  At what point does a brand become so powerful that they can take advantage of free placement (i.e. Apple Computers)? My fascination goes beyond movies and television- it's the whole media plan.  Why does a marketing team pick the particular avenues that they do? Why do I pick the avenues that I do when it comes to the brands I am responsible for?

Sometimes the logic seems a bit hazy, and sometimes it just makes perfectly obvious sense. (Note- Not exactly "product placement", but smart ad placement.  Please do not judge me by my current Pandora playlist stations)

Mood: Inquisitive