La pubblicità di John Travolta non è occulta. Ma un'altra sì!
In this Italian commentary, the speaker examines two recent controversies surrounding the Sanremo music festival. First, he discusses the public outcry that John Travolta’s branded shoes, shown on camera while he danced, might constitute hidden advertising. He argues that, unlike product placement, there was no explicit mention of the brand on the program and the shoes were likely tied to a personal contract with the shoe producer, making it difficult to label the segment as covert promotion. Second, he contrasts this with the confirmed Agico sanction against RAI for overt advertising of Instagram during the previous year’s festival, where presenters explicitly named the platform and encouraged viewers to go live. The speaker highlights the legal distinction between explicit endorsement (which the Agico ruling deemed a violation) and passive visual exposure, and questions whether camera focus on Travolta’s feet was excessive or simply consistent with the performance. The overall takeaway is that not all brand visibility on TV equals hidden advertising; the context, presenter involvement, and contractual arrangements determine regulatory compliance.
