One of the dangers for brands in releasing Super Bowl ads and teasers early is that it allows the criticism to start early as well.

That's what various brands are facing even before kickoff of the Big Game, as Coca-Cola is the latest brand feeling the heat over its pre-Game teaser. Coke is getting criticized for its depiction of Arabs in its desert-set spot, above, while Volkswagen undergoes more examination of the Jamaican accents of the white characters in its "Get Happy" spot.

In other game-related brand developments leading into Sunday's big game, Samsung just released its Super Bowl ad teaser, "El Plato Supreme," featuring Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd pitching their ideas for Samsung's Big Game ad: "The Next Big Thing," a 2-minute spot directed by Jon Favreau, that will air during the 4th quarter of Super Bowl XLVII on Sunday. This is the second year Samsung Mobile has an ad running during the Super Bowl:Continue reading...

Celebrating the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray, George Lucas via his Lucasfilm studio is collaborating with the non-profit Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C) on the aptly titled "Use The Force For Good." Of course, "good" means driving donations to the Stand Up To Cancer website, where all proceeds go to cancer research.

Any celebrities promoting this? Only Aziz Ansari, Zach Galifianakis, Bill Hader, Ed Helms, Ken Jeong, Jaime King, Seth Rogen, Andy Samberg, Emma Stone and even Star Wars alum Samuel L. Jackson. In the video, they each "Use the Force for Good" as they reenact classic Star Wars scenes to raise awareness, and funds, for cancer research.Continue reading...

Last week we looked at two product placements in movies starring this weekend's lead men. Did you know which was what?Continue reading...

Before we get to this week's quiz or this week's look at the battling beer placements in this week's two big releases, The Green Hornet (starring Seth Rogen) and The Dilemma (featuring Vince Vaughn and Kevin James), kick back and take in the above snapshot of beer brands and product placement put together for the blog Filmdrunk.

Done? Good. Now let's look at all the intriguing product placement around this week's dueling "tall doofus" films, including a "ooh" at what could have been, with an attractive offer to replace Green Hornet's iconic Imperial Crown with a Beemer.Continue reading...