Country? England. Gun? Shot. Agent? Provocateur. Murder? Employment. Skyfall? Product placement.

The latest James Bond film hit the US this weekend, letting audiences decide for themselves what all the product placement hubbub was about. The verdict? Meh. Some valuations have nailed down some dollar numbers on just how much exposure Skyfall brought its top-line brand partners, but what about the unidentifiable brands on-screen?

Despite no label ever being seen, at least one already has backorders going into 2013. And what to make of Bond's glorious return to tobacco?Continue reading...

eBay has partnered with seven leading fashion designers on an exclusive new collaboration: the eBay Holiday Collective—an original, limited-edition gift collection of men's and women's apparel, jewelry, travel and electronics accessories and home décor items for the 2012-13 holiday season. Starting November 12, the capsule collections will be available globally, exclusively on eBay's fashion portal, at accessible, "Buy it Now" prices from $50 to $100 and will include free U.S. and international shipping. Above, watch designer Steven Alan discuss the partnership, and below, the designers behind the Fallon, Ruffian and Billy Reid labels. Also involved: Chris Benz, Tibi and Jonathan Adler, who taped his own homage to eBay as part of the brand's "eBay Thanks You" campaign:Continue reading...

It used to be that when someone accidentally spilled hot coffee on themselves at a restaurant, they went ahead and sued (with one famously being awarded $2.86 million by a jury, which was later reduced). These days, it appears that Starbucks thinks people would like to actually pay money to appear as if they’ve made a mess of themselves.

Designers Alexander Wang, Sophie Theallet, and Billy Reid each have won a Council of Fashion Designers of America/Vogue Fashion Fund Award during the last three years. So what do they do? They all partner with Starbucks and design limited-edition T-shirts to help celebrate the Seattle company’s 40th birthday, of course, according to Fashionista.com. 

Wang, who's also making Dockers chic this fall, apparently didn’t too much time into figuring out what to do with his shirt design.Continue reading...

As the world's largest online marketplace, eBay has to constantly defend its brand against vendors selling knock-off branded goods on its site.

To make clear its commitment to thwarting counterfeiters, eBay has partnered with the US Council of Fashion Designers of America on "You Can't Fake Fashion," a campaign to raise awareness against counterfeit goods and celebrate original design.Continue reading...

Levi's released another mini-doc in its 2010 Go Forth campaign, featuring the good people of Braddock, Pennsylvania. The brand is working with the town to restore pride and jobs through a year-long "We Are All Workers" pro-social commitment touting the virtues of work (building a Braddock community center) and working together (via printmaking workshops, coming next to New York). And, of course, denim workwear. Levi's brand of denim workwear. Click through for a look at Levi's workwear collaboration with designer Billy Reid.Continue reading...