Shameless "Subway" product placement in Hawaii-Five-O on 16 Jan 2012

In this season's episode 14, titled Pu'olo (The Package) , there is a commercial for Subway imbedded in the drama with Taylor Wily ("Kamekona") delivering the message. The next Jason? During the show, Kamekona not only acknowledged his own shrimp wasn't good for you, but pushed a variety of Subway products.

And, the master thief drove up in a Segway, and later used a flamethrower as a weapon.

The stolen material is RFID chips for US passports. Here, 100 chips were stolen. Adler and Bloom, eastern Europeans, are the real villains, but get caught at the airport.

The end of the episode addresses Shelbourne. A trip to Cemetery of the Pacific, to John's tombstone. Shelbourne is an alias, for the investigation. And the key is that Joe killed Wo Fat's father.

The last line of show: "Buy you a Subway."

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In 1950s television, there was strong identification of product sponsor with content, as with Carnation milk on the George Burns show. One did know "who" was paying for the show. Embedded ads can blur that connection. There has been much discussion of embedded ads on children's television.

There was attention drawn to the matter in 2008, with FCC involvement.

See FCC to look into embedded advertising on TV; Should viewers be better informed about paid-for props?

See also EMBEDDED ADVERTISING: YOUR RIGHTS IN THE TIVO ERA in JMRIPL

***As to movies, recall Joan Crawford and Pepsi. From wikipedia: In Joan Crawford's later career, product placement for Pepsi can be seen in several films, including Strait-Jacket (1964) and Berserk! (1967) Crawford would remain on the Board of Directors of Pepsi-Cola Company until her forced retirement in 1973.