Celebrity endorsements of products are par for the course, indeed with more and more viewers becoming blind to more traditional advertising, they are only likely to become more common in the future.

While product placements in films have long been an important element in movie funding – and for companies to sell their products and enrich their brand – product placements in television may also be on the horizon.

ITV and Pact, the trade body for the £1bn UK independent production sector, recently issued a proposed code of practice for product placement. The code of conduct sets certain guidelines, but basically would allow brand owners to pay to have their products featured in dramas and comedies on British television.

Product placement on British TV is currently outlawed, but if the ban were lifted, it would pave the way for a new kind of celebrity endorsement: where television producers are able to put an iPhone in Eastenders’ Phil Mitchell’s hands. For the brand owners, there is the prospect of combining product placement with celebrity endorsement.

The technology industry, for its part, has been as keen on celebrity endorsements and product placement as any sector. It will no doubt be watching the debate with interest: Andy Burnham, culture secretary, said earlier this year that consultation on product placement is ongoing.

CBR looked back at some of the high profile celebrities that tech firms have deployed in the past to help sell their products. Would these celebs make you more likely to buy a particular brand? What does their association mean about the products they help to sell?

Hilary-Clinton_yahoo answers.jpg

Political clout — Yahoo Answers has used Hilary Clinton in campaigns.

nicole_kidman_nintendo.jpg

Nintendo used Nicole Kidman to push its Wii console.

beckham motorola RAZR2.jpg

David Beckham for Motorola.

eva_Vista party.jpg

Eva Longoria at the Microsoft Vista launch party.

jenny McCarthy xbox360.jpg

Microsoft again, this time Jenny McCarthy for the Xbox360.

Rihanna_xbox360.jpg

Rihanna, also for the Xbox360.

beyonce samsung.jpg

Beyonce for Samsung.

rihanna chocolate LG.jpg

Rihanna again, this time for the LG Chocolate.

maria sharapova_motorola.jpg

Maria Sharapova for Motorola.

Click continue reading for more celebrity tech endorsements…

sharapova_sony ericcson.jpg

Rival endorsements – Sharapova again, this time for Sony Ericcson.

Paris Hilton motorolaRAZR.jpg

Paris Hilton for Motorola.

gwen stefani.jpg

Gwen Stefani — the face of HP printers for a time.

Pharrell_Williams_for HP.jpg

Pharrell Williams has also been used by HP.

shakira_panasonic2.jpg

Shakira for Panasonic.

angelina_jolie_eidos interactive.jpg

Angelina Jolie for Eidos Interactive, which makes the game Lara Croft.

Uma-Thurman-virigin media.jpg

Uma Thurman has been the face of Virgin Media.