17 Again
Date: 17-23 Apr Studio: Warner Bros. Weekend gross: US$23.7 M Featured brands:Apple,
Audi,
Barq's,
Bose,
Canon,
Cap'n Crunch,
Coca-Cola,
Doritos,
Ford,
Jansport,
Lamborghini,
M&M's,
Motorola,
Pringles,
Ray-Ban,
Samsung,
Spalding,
Sprite,
Welch's Comments: When 37-year-old Mike O’Donnell bottoms out with his family, children, and job, only high school memories and brandcameos allow him comfort. Tech brands Apple, Samsung, and Motorola enjoy screen time alongside brands such as Spalding, Ray-Ban, Doritoes, Sprite, Audi and Ford. Though this film underscores that money can’t buy love, the American Express Black Card can apparently buy just about everything else.
Twilight
Date: 21-27 Nov Studio: Summit Entertainment Weekend gross: US$69.6 M Featured brands:A1,
Apple,
Body Glove,
Chevrolet,
Dayton,
Fila,
Ford,
Google,
Jeep,
Kawai,
Lumix,
Mercedes,
Nokia,
Pepsi,
Ray-Ban,
Sony,
Speedo,
Volvo,
Wilson,
Yamaha Comments: The star-crossed love of a vampire and his equally pale mortal love interest kept eyes glued to the screen, but the cars in this literary adaptation captured our attention. From Bella’s faded red Chevrolet pickup truck to the Cullens’ fleet of sleek vehicles, this film satisfies brandcameo fans of automobiles. Armed with her Nokia cell phone and Google search engine, Bella uncovers evidence of their secret identity as a family of vampires
The Perfect Fit Award
Which brand/film association had the best chemistry?
The product placement business offers no guarantees, but there are instances when the matching game between movies and starring brands are simpatico and fit not only the film’s brand identity, but the product's placement as well. Here are the nominees for matches made in heaven.
Gran Torino
Date: 9-15 Jan Studio: Warner Bros. Weekend gross: US$29.5 M Featured brands:Budweiser,
Coca-Cola,
Colt,
Ford,
Gopher,
Honda,
Israel Weapons Industry,
Jack Daniel's,
Pabst Blue Ribbon,
Reebok,
Remington,
Tory Burch,
Toyota,
Tsingtao,
USPS,
WD-40 Comments: This film is about an old man, with an old gun and an old car responding to the increase of gang violence in his neighborhood. Walt Kowalski is a retired Ford worker and Korean War veteran, who carries an M1 Garand rifle and spends his time caring for his 1972 Ford Gran Torino. He befriends his Hmong neighbors and trades his Pabst Blue Ribbons for Tsingtao beer.
The Bomb Award
Which brandcameo ruined your enjoyment of a film/scene?
Product placements are an art, and not all art is good—much of it, in fact, is terrible. Sure, Hollywood wages its own wars between artistic integrity and financial windfall, but moviegoers know what they are paying for: to watch movies, not commercials. When product placements are overtly obvious, blatant, and simply inept, moviegoers cringe as the suspension of disbelief is broken and a scene is ruined, or in some cases the entire film undermined, by bad product placement.
Star Trek
Date: 8-14 May Studio: Paramount Weekend gross: US75.2 M Featured brands:Budweiser,
Corvette,
Jack Daniel's,
Nokia Comments: A constellation of brand controversy surrounds Star Trek as Nokia, Chevy Corvette, Coke, Jack Daniels and even the New York City-based Beastie Boys bring contemporary brands into the rarified air of Star Trek, science fiction and the 2250s. Though moviegoers tend to rebel against clunky product placements that interrupt the suspension of disbelief by drawing attention to themselves, the one winner in this instance is the Beastie Boys and their timeless, adrenaline throttling song, Sabotage.
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Date: 12-18 Dec Studio: FOX Weekend gross: US$36.7 M Featured brands:Daily News,
Ford,
Honda,
LG,
McDonald's,
Microsoft,
NASA,
New York Giants,
Princeton University Comments: In The Day the Earth Stood Still scientist Helen Benson (Jennifer Connelly) and awkward alien Klaatu (Keanu Reeves) must understand each other in order to save the human race. Their frenetic and violent journey features brandcameos by Honda, Ford, McDonalds, LG, Windows, and Citizen watch. Though the movie focuses on humanity’s ability “to change,” our brandcameo rankings remain the same for another week with Ford on top.
Most Mouthwatering Award
Which brandcameo made you drool and want to go out and purchase that brand?
The purpose of product placements, obviously, is to promote—and, more importantly, sell—products and brands. Some efforts are more effective than others, with success ultimately being determined by the subjective eyes and spending habits of moviegoers. Which of the following nominees made you want to hand over your credit card?
Up
Date: 29 May-4 Jun Studio: Disney Pixar Weekend gross: US$68.1 M Featured brands:Fentons Creamery Comments:Up is a down film for brands as this vibrant and touching movie follows the travels of 78-year-old Carl Fredericksen and 8-year-old Russel to South America aboard a floating house buoyed by countless colorful balloons. Yet, after ganging up with rare bird, Kevin, and friendly mutt, Dug, Carl and Russel make it back stateside, where they enjoy ice cream at an Oakland, California landmark, Fenton’s Creamery , the film’s only brandcameo.
The Odd Couple Award
Which brandcameo seemed the most awkward and ineffective fit in a film/scene?
They’ll never last. That's what we say that under our breath whenever we see a couple destined to split. They don’t fit. They’re not made for each other. There is no chemistry between them. The following nominees don’t belong together either. So which product placement/film represents the most head-scratching couple and unlikely partnership?
Star Trek
Date: 8-14 May Studio: Paramount Weekend gross: US75.2 M Featured brands:Budweiser,
Corvette,
Jack Daniel's,
Nokia Comments: A constellation of brand controversy surrounds Star Trek as Nokia, Chevy Corvette, Coke, Jack Daniels and even the New York City-based Beastie Boys bring contemporary brands into the rarified air of Star Trek, science fiction and the 2250s. Though moviegoers tend to rebel against clunky product placements that interrupt the suspension of disbelief by drawing attention to themselves, the one winner in this instance is the Beastie Boys and their timeless, adrenaline throttling song, Sabotage.
Angels & Demons
Date: 15-21 May Studio: Sony / Columbia Weekend gross: US$46.2 M Featured brands:Bottega Veneta,
CNN,
Disney,
Fiat,
Mercedes,
Reuters,
Sony,
Vespa Comments: Italian brands abound in Angels and Demons as Fiat, Vespa and Bottega Veneta appropriately find screentime in this film set in Rome. The suspense builds as time ticks away on Robert Langdon’s Mickey Mouse watch and the Vatican struggles to elect a new Pope while media brands such as CNN and Reuters converge on the scene.
Monsters vs. Aliens
Date: 27 Mar-2 Apr Studio: Paramount Weekend gross: US$59.3 M Featured brands:Yamaha Comments: The animated film Monsters vs Aliens offers a variety of animated characters as Susan Murphy—turned into a giant by a tainted meteor—joins a quirky group on monsters in a fight against Galaxhar’s villainous army of enormous robots. The conflict teaches Susan and her comrades the power of being different and the meaning of friendship.
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Date: 7-13 Nov Studio: DreamWorks Animation Weekend gross: US$63.1 M Featured brands:Apple Comments: Hollywood’s A-list lend their voices to Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa as Alex (Ben Stiller), Marty (Chris Rock), Melman (David Schwimmer), and Gloria (Jada Pinkett Smith) inadvertently return to their homeland of Africa and embark on an emotional safari that tests the definitions of family, friendship, and exalts the power of love to bring a hippo and giraffe together in holy matrimony.
Welcome to Reality Award
Which fictional brandcameo would you most like to see in real life?
Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, but in the world of product placements, sometimes fiction offers us products that the real world could use. Which of the following nominees would you like to see come to life?
Tropic Thunder
Date: 15 Aug-4 Sep Studio: Paramount Weekend gross: US$86.9 M Featured brands:Apple,
Coca-Cola,
Gulfstream,
HP,
Inside Magazine,
Lacoste,
Maxim,
Nokia,
Spalding,
TiVo,
Vanity Fair,
Vibe Magazine,
YouTube Comments:Tropic Thunder storms into its third consecutive week as the number one movie in America, and with that honor retains its apex position in the our brandcameo ranking. Brands such as Tivo, Coca-Cola, Vanity Fair, Gulfstream, Lacoste, Spalding and others join hilarious fake brands Booty Sweat and Bust-a-Nut candy bar as superficial Hollywood actors get deep into comedy.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Date: 17-23 Jul Studio: Warner Bros. Weekend gross: US$77.8 M Featured brands:
none
Comments: This week Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince flew into theaters with a coming-of-age cast of characters followed by legions of loyal fans who ensured the latest Harry Potter installment won the number one spot in the US box office. The film's dreamlike environs are void of any real-life product placements, but the undeniable popularity of this continuing series is all too real for big screen competitors.
Knowing
Date: 20-26 Mar Studio: Summit Entertainment Weekend gross: US$24.6 M Featured brands:Apple,
Coca-Cola,
Dell,
Ford,
Google,
Jeep,
M.I.T.,
Mazda,
Nokia,
Pepsi,
Quaker,
Sabrett,
Samsung,
Snyder's of Hanover,
SyJordic Technologies Inc.,
TiVo Comments: It is an ominous, unbranded 1959 and Judith, an elementary school student, predicts through a list of numbers the demise of fictitious airline brand Plymouth Air and other disasters 50 years later. However, John Koestler (Nicholas Cage), his son Caleb and their Ford chase down clues that lead to a new understanding of natural disasters.
Up
Date: 29 May-4 Jun Studio: Disney Pixar Weekend gross: US$68.1 M Featured brands:Fentons Creamery Comments:Up is a down film for brands as this vibrant and touching movie follows the travels of 78-year-old Carl Fredericksen and 8-year-old Russel to South America aboard a floating house buoyed by countless colorful balloons. Yet, after ganging up with rare bird, Kevin, and friendly mutt, Dug, Carl and Russel make it back stateside, where they enjoy ice cream at an Oakland, California landmark, Fenton’s Creamery , the film’s only brandcameo.
Brüno
Date: 10-16 Jul Studio: Universal Weekend gross: US$30.6 M Featured brands:American Idol,
Apple,
CBS,
Dolce & Gabbana,
Elite Models,
Esprit,
Levi's,
Marc Jacobs,
Marlboro,
Marshall,
Mercedes,
NBC,
Nike,
Roberto Cavalli,
Sharp,
Toyota,
U2,
Vespa,
Westin Comments: This week Brüno sashayed into movie theaters as Sacha Baron Cohen’s latest caricature creates laughs by eviscerating the insecurities and prejudices of people and brands. Brüno causes a fracas at Milan’s Fashion Week as he mocks not just the industry but brands such as Prada, Marc Jacobs and D&G. Apple, U2, NBC, American Idol and vehicle brands Vespa, Toyota, Chevy, Mercedes and Smart Car are all part, or targets, of the hilarious parody.
Recent Answers
B
Fantastic product
C
Any new airline brand is welcome because they're terrible now.
B
I guess everyone wish to see all the brands shown in HP series to come to life, the broom, the wand, the invisible cloak, everything!
Film Whore Award
Which film sold the most of its soul to accommodate product placement(s)?
Sell out. Capitalist pig. Crass commercialist. Some films grant product placements appropriate roles, but others value product placement more than scene essentials such as plot, characters and aesthetics—all to make a buck. Which of the following nominees shamelessly pimped out products at the expense of artistic integrity?
The Camaro's sales numbers rival the film's.
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