After the latest multi-million-dollar fine for record company payola, Scott G speculates that there is a lot more under the surface that could be happening, from holding executives up to public ridicule, to terminations of employees, to (most especially) new fines in state after state after state.

"How to Get Your Music Placed in TV, Film, Advertising and Games" was the title of the panel in question. The information presented was fascinating and often quite lively. Members of the panel presented a nice mixture of facts and amusing anecdotes. And it was consistently entertaining. What was not covered, however, was an answer for the "how to" part of its title.

As marketers seek greater global presence and the U.S. lurches toward debtor nation status, there will emerge a good old-fashioned capitalistic solution: the government can sell ad space on the sides of things. To get there first, may we introduce www.USA-Ad-Biz.com.

COLUMN: Getting a company logo in front of the public is not an easy job anymore. In the olden days, I'm told it used to be a simple process: you would just call up a promotional gift supplier, order a few cases of glow-in-the-dark executive desk sets emblazoned with the firm's name, and presto: instant brand placement.

Barcodes in commercials, wristwatch credit cards, and bathroom broadcasts combining entertainment with advertising: those are just a few of Scott G's predictions of the wild world of marketing communications now upon us.

COLUMN: Product placement is considered a necessary evil and potential savior for the advertising industry, but sometimes the concept gets in the way of the art form. The recent creative and financial flop The Island took the concept way too far.

How information overload, data glut, and media excess will lead to consumer revolt and an end to marketing, advertising and public relations as we know it.