• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, August 31, 2017

Social media video advertising isn’t TV advertising or even TV product placement -- just ask our President.

Media agency company GroupM says as much. Scrolling through one’s social media feed on Facebook, for example, and seeing a fleeting video ad -- just a couple of seconds worth -- isn’t "TV." Not TV advertising, anyway, and surely not TV content.

That doesn't mean this kind of social media messaging doesn’t have value. But exactly what is it? After years of social media ad process and development, industry executives still can’t decide.

Engagement? Visits to a webpage? Number of re-tweets? Actual sales? Maybe, the latter. But is it TV? Nope. That’s because users can look at social media while walking across the street and trying to avoid, with one eye, getting hit by at least two cars.

But what about TV itself? You can still do a lot -- even without buying a traditional TV network media schedule.

For instance, President Trump was on TV wearing a white baseball cap with "USA" in bold black letters -- while visiting the flood-ravaged part of southeast Texas.

Seems honorable enough? We are all Americans in this together.

But that hat isn't a freebie. Far from it, for this is product placement. That baseball cap is going to cost you -- $40. You can get it on Trump’s website. And the money? It goes to Trump, his future political campaigns or maybe his future attorneys' fees.

Well, everyone needs to make a buck. Seems Trump can get a lot of TV networks' earned media time for product shilling. After all, Trump is about business. And branding his business.

Oh, wait a second. The President is trying to make a buck while attending a massive weather-related tragedy in which people died and tens of thousands lost their homes and possessions.

Well, we did elect him. So do your part. Contribute to the tragedy of your choice.