In order to eliminate product placement violations in the Georgian television space and protect consumer rights, Communications Commission member Ivane Makharadze and Head of the Media Services Regulation Department Kote Koridze met with the lawyers, marketing representatives and producers of TV company Rustavi 2. The workshop served to raise participants’ awareness about product placement violations, as well as discuss the legal framework and existing guidelines on product placement developed by ComCom. 

As part of the consultations, ComCom representatives discussed the examples of product placement violations on Rustavi-2, and explained how products should be placed without violations. Additionally, participants talked about the harm to the viewers caused by hidden advertising and attaching excessive importance to products. During the meeting, ComCom representatives comprehensively responded to all questions from Rustavi 2 employees, and reminded the participants to use the current transitional period to bring their work, approaches and client contracts in compliance with the law. At the end of the given period, the Commission will start enforcing the law with strictness and apply sanctions in case of any violations. 

In May this year, ComCom held a conference titled “TV Advertising Market Challenges – Product Placement.” During the event, the Commission presented to the media representatives and interested parties the research and the results of the study on product placement conducted with the EU media expert Jean-Francois Fournemont. The research established that although the Georgian legislation was in compliance with European standards, product placement rules were being grossly violated by TV stations on a daily basis. The study also showed that the law and the approach of the respective regulatory commissions to product placement violations was very strict in all EU countries. The event was attended by Principal of the Broadcasting and Online Content Group at Ofcom, Suzanne Wright, and Head of Legal Division at the Radio and Television Commission of Lithuania (RTCL), Vadim Gasperskij, who provided an overview of the approaches and practices in their countries. During the event, the Commission also announced its decision to afford TV stations a transitional period until the end of the year, during which the Commission will not apply sanctions, but will carry out media monitoring and hold discussions with all interested TV stations on product placement violations and the ways to eliminate them. After the end of the transition period, the Commission will start applying appropriate sanctions in response to the violations, just as it happens in other European countries. 

In order to effectively enforce the law, the Communications Commission is ready to conduct consultations with any interested TV station and provide comprehensive information to employees on issues related to product placement. 

For further information on product placement and the Commission’s decisions, please visit the following link.