Product placement has always been a part of entertainment–and today, companies are relying on it more than ever, especially if they made some stupid pledge long ago not to market their crap to kiddies.
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An upcoming report by Yale University's Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity tracked 35,000 product placements (!) on television in 2008, the last year which they were able to fully track them. They didn't state how many are food-related, but did determine kids see 14 television commercials for food for every product placement for grub–yet that product placement had enough power that it has contributed to childhood obesity.
Oh, Almond Joy! (Nestle or whoever makes that bar did NOT pay me to say that)