6/6/2010:
The term "product placement" really emerged in the 1980s, but it was used long before, as evidenced by an article printed by The Wilton News in 1912. On this date, a man named Peter Jonson was arraigned for hitting his mother-in-law. It seems he'd been smoking a cigar that stank terribly, aggravating her asthma, and the two ended up fighting.
The article called the judge "a good judge and a judge of a good cigar." The judge discharged Johnson, telling him to try a different brand, called "All Stock and No Style," made in St. Paul.
The mother-in-law went immediately to the pharmacy and bought a carton...with these results:
"After Pete had smoked one, the old lady declared it was the most fragrant cigar he had ever smoked. They kissed and made up and declared they would not quarrel in the future."
Dakota Datebook written by Sarah Walker
Sources:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m6836/is_4_50/ai_n25004463/
The Wilton News, Friday, June 7, 1912