"Drink Cola" as Product Placement is "OK!" from February 2011

Ofcom has amended the Broadcasting Code to allow product placement in television programmes from 28 February 2011. Ofcom has also made amendments to other rules on advertising and sponsorship that have been affected by the decision to allow product placement. Ofcom has also published a statement on amendments to the Broadcasting Code affecting the use of commercial references in radio programmes; in particular, Ofcom has removed the principle of separation between commercial communications and programming except in relation to spot advertisements. This concludes the process of introducing product placement to UK-made television programmes, following the clarification and liberalisation of the rules at EU level under the Audiovisual Media Services Directive 2007. The UK has added a number of additional safeguards both in the Audiovisual Media Services (Product Placement) Regulations 2010 and in the revised Broadcasting Code, which will hopefully balance the interests of those for and against product placement.