Following the advertising money trail:

PQ Media and iTVX are partnering to measure spending on branded entertainment and product placement. Their study finds that spending on TV placement 2004 jumped 46% over 2003. Overall product placement spending from film, TV, and other media was $3.5 billion in 2004, up 30.5 percent.

It seems the only thing growing faster than internet advertising is product placement and integration. Clearly advertisers are beginning to figure out how to get through to viewers using digital technology to strip ads from their favorite shows.

How long is it until we’re back to the days of Texaco Star Theater? (via BuzzMachine)