Product placement is an innovative form of marketing communication which provides companies an opportunity to persuasively incorporate their products or brands into consumer-familiar environment in the authentic way. Even contemporary customers who are already used to sceptically react to advertising or even ignore it, consider product placement as an element in the environment and do not suspect it to be a kind of advertisement. Therefore, the article identifies the ethical problems related to the usage of product placement; even being a relatively new measure of marketing communication product placement faces some problems of its application. Despite the latter problems, product placement is gaining its popularity in television shows, movies and video or computer games; thus, a discussion on its effectiveness becomes relevant. Accordingly, the article deals with a scientific problem: what aspects of product placement in video games make this tool of marketing communication effective? The article aims at assessing the effectiveness of product placement during the sports game and video game. The article determines the indicators of the effectiveness of product placement and provides the results of a comparative experiment. During the experiment, the effectiveness of product placement was assessed by comparing the results of two groups of participants: the first group was watching a broadcast of a sports game, and the second group was playing a sports video game. The research results revealed that research participants recalled and recognized product brands provided during the sports game broadcast and sports video game. Moreover, the group which was playing a video game better recalled the brand and the place where they were provided in comparison to the group which was just watching a game.[...]

The recent emergence of the development of information technology (IT) sector has led to the sector‘s recognition as becoming one of the leading sector s in global economy. The evolving progress of the new technologies opens wider possibilities for the merge and interaction between real and virtual worlds; as one of the ways of such mergence computer video games can be named ( Straubhaar et al., 2013 ). Acc ording to Kuster et al. (2010), video game is a game based on computer software, supposed to be played on an electronic device allowing the presentation of graphical imagery and the interaction of the player with the software ( Wolf, 2008 ); moreover, the ga me requires the player to perform specified tasks to achieve objectives and to remain within the rules for the game established by the constraints embedded in the software. In the United States of America, even 59 per cent of inhabitants (with the average age of thirty one) play video games (ESA, 2014). In Europe also the importance of video games is considered as respectful; according to European Commission ( Europos Komisija, 2008 ), the video game industry becomes one of the fastest growing areas, as well as video games become one of the most popular leisure activities among citizens. Considering latter insights, the scientific problem analysed in the article is formulated as follows: what are the possibilities of application of sport video games in trainin gs and business? Accordingly, the object of the article is the application of video games in training and business. The article aims to provide possibilities for application of video games in trainings and business. Analysis and synthesis of scientific lit erature were provided achieving to reveal the video games a platform for trainings; disclose the essence of this phenomenon. Considering the lack of Lithuanian authors‘ insights in this relatively new field, the foreign authors‘ opinions and [...].

While analyzing human resources from marketing perspective, two main parties dictate the course of organization‟s activities: consumers and employees. Organization‟s customers can be named as a driving force generating profits, recognition in the market, and image in the society. Achieving to satisfy customer‟s needs and wishes, organizations create new products, expand service packages, and adapt modern technologies. In many businesses, direct contact between organization‟s personnel and consumers is inevitable. The scientific problem solved in the article is formulated with a question: what is the role of operating personnel in customer satisfaction? The object of the article is the coherence between operating personnel and customer satisfaction; and the aim of the article is to reveal the role of operating personnel in customer satisfaction. Achieving to reach the aim, following tasks were set: – To reveal theoretically the effect of service quality on customer satisfaction; – To determine the influence of operating personnel to service quality; – To assess the principal characteristics of operating personnel affecting perceived service quality. Analysis and synthesis of scientific literature were provided achieving to reveal theoretical coherence between service quality and customer satisfaction, and to reveal the influence of operating personnel to service quality. Principal characteristics of operating personnel affecting perceived service quality were revealed analyzing the results of questionnaire surveys. Service quality was found to be one of the key antecedents of customer satisfaction, included in vast majority of customer satisfaction index models. Considering the complexity of service quality, it can be divided into technical and functional. The functional service quality is mainly dependant ant the competence and qualifications of operating personnel. [...]

Relevance of the research. Traditional television or radio advertising becomes nowadays less powerful marketing tool. Traditional advertisements can be avoided by switching channel or turning off the television set; such viewer action is called “zipping” or “zapping” (Russell, 2002). Various marketing tools used by business organizations with purpose to encourage customers to purchase a product can be observed by contemporary society. While regular marketing instruments are losing their power, alternative new way of introducing new products to consumers is emerging. Product Placement is a paid product message aimed at influencing movie (or television) audiences via the planned and unobtrusive entry of a branded product into a movie (or television program) (Balasubramanian, 1994). Some scholars (e.g., Keith, 2008) analyse product placement as a form of hidden advertising. One of the ultimate ways of usage of this marketing tool is product placement inclusion into video games. Forecasts exist, that the global market for video games is expected to grow to $82 billion in 2017 (Gaudiosi, 2012). Young men spend 12.5 hours a week playing video games, and it is 2.7 hours more than watching television (Glass, 2007). Considering the growing popularity of video games and the lack of scholarly research in the field of product placement in video games, the scientific problem solved in the article is how to make product placement in video games. The object of the article is product placement in video games. The research aim is to reveal the peculiarities of product placement in video games. Research method. Qualitative content analysis of scientific literature was provided to reveal the principal aspects of product placement in video games.[...]

Research background. According to J. A. Karrh et al. (2001) product placement in movies is used with intensions to extend product awareness, create positive associations with a product, or to promote sales. Product placement is becoming very successive tool of promotion; its impact on society is constantly growing. Many films can make an impact on society’s attitudes, also, form buying patterns. Despite a wide usage of this promotional tool, attempts to find scientific publications of Lithuanian authors considering this product placement in Lithuanian movies were unsuccessful. However, many cases of product placement can be observed in Lithuanian movies. Therefore, it becomes relevant to analyze the peculiarities of product placement in movies. The problem solved in the article is how to make product placement in movies. Foreign authors are constantly providing research on multiple aspects of product placement (its impact on viewers’ purchase intentions, impact on memorization, product awareness, etc.); therefore, the lack of Lithuanian researches in the field substantiates the problem. The object of the article is the peculiarities of product placement in movies. The aim of the article is to reveal the peculiarities of product placement in movies. [...]

This paper analyzes Lithuanian food industry producers’ practical use of product placement in Lithuanian feature films. Lots of experiments made foreign authors have proved the effectiveness of product placement in movies and its ability to promote product sales; therefore, it becomes important to examine product placement practical usage in our country’s movies. The usage of product placement by Lithuanian companies that produce food products has been chosen for the research. The aim of the article was: after disclosing product placement used by Lithuanian food producers in Lithuanian movies, provide guidelines for the usage of this marketing tool. Achieving the aim, theoretical analysis of scientific literature was provided to substantiate the effectiveness of product placement in movies. The evaluation of Lithuanian food producers’ practical use of product placement in our country’s feature movies lead to determination of extent of the usage of this promotional tool; the main food categories which use product placement in movies were determined.