plugola

[pluh-goh-luh]

noun

Slang.

1. payment or favor given to people in media or motion pictures for favorable mention or display of a particular product or brand name.

2. promotional mention or praise of someone or something on radio or television.

Word History and Origins

Origin of plugola¹

First recorded in 1955–60; plug + -ola

Example Sentences

If you were a big name—like Jack Benny, whom Samuel calls “the king of integrated advertising”—“plugola” was par for the course.

Read more on The New Yorker

Reaffirming its history as a cavalcade of plugola, the show was front-loaded with numbers from the nominated musicals — and even some that weren’t.

Read more on Washington Post

It’s unclear just how widespread such “plugola” schemes are now.

Read more on Washington Post

Such product-friendly segments aren’t just potentially deceptive; they’re illegal, under a federal law that prohibits “payola” or “plugola,” as the practice is commonly known.

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The payola for the plugola usually goes to accommodating producers or property men.

Read more on Time Magazine Archive