Add product placements to that old adage about how laws and sausages are made. You really don't want to know. However, The New York Times recently offered a fascinating account of a product placement specialist pursuing branding opportunities in a screenplay, a thriller, titled The 28th Amendment.

The article details just how integral brand placement has become in the early stages of film and TV development. If you are pro-product placement, the account will be pleasantly reassuring with statements such as, "Writers say [early involvement] helps them work in brands gracefully, rather than finding out later that studio executives have jammed in products at the last minute."Continue reading...

It was a nice sunny Saturday in San Francisco's Union Square. It looked innocent enough when a guy began to play the bongos and a little kid started doing a dance. Then fifty-five kids were suddenly gyrating to music in a suspiciously coordinated manner. Delighted spectators didn't seem to mind.

H&M, the Swedish clothing chain, with a store conveniently located in Union Square, admitted to organizing the "spontaneous" 4-minute event to call attention to its H&M Kids fashion line. There was no overt promotion at the event itself, but H&M filmed the happening and posted the video on YouTube. It received more than 28,000 views in about two days, says Brandfreak.Continue reading...

A look at the good, the bad, and the ugly regarding product placements in the Oscar-nominated films of 2009. So, how did the following brandcameos fare? 

American Airlines in Up In The Air.         Belstaff in Inglorious Basterds.

BET in Precious.                                    BlackBerry in Up In The Air.

BMW in The Blind Side.                         Bristol in An Education.

Chanel in An Education.                        Chrysler Sebring in Up In The Air.

Fenton's in UP.                                     * Günther's in District 9.

Hilton in Up In The Air.                          Jujubees in Avatar.

* RDA in Avatar.                                   Red Owl in A Serious Man.

Sony in District 9.                                Stanford University in Avatar.

Taco Bell in The Blind Side.                   Under Armour in The Blind Side.

Walther in Inglorious Basterds.              "*" Fictional brand.Continue reading...

American Airlines gives passengers yet another reason to complain. It has just announced that it will hike prices on checked bags – again.  

For those purchasing tickets from February 1, 2010 and on, prices for the first checked bag will be $25 on flights in the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. The cost for checked baggage was previously $20. American Airlines has increased the price of second bags by $5 as well. They are now $35. This change applies to all American Airlines, American Eagle, and American Connection brand flights.

It was only in July, that the airline announced a similar price increase, in an attempt to appease fuel costs. Continue reading...

A groundbreaking product placement was born when Pan Am teamed up with Hilton in the epic sci-fi opera 2001. Now, Pan Am is dead, but Hilton is alive and well, and this time the brand is co-starring in George Clooney's film, Up in the Air, with another high-flying brand, American Airlines -- just in time for the holidays.

But don't fret, product placement conspiracy theorists; American Airlines isn't spending a fortune to brainwash you into flying on its planes. Dawn Turner, manager of promotions at America Airlines, told the New York Times:

"We did not spend any money. We don’t have any money to spend — you read the headlines, right?”Continue reading...

Spyker in 11th-hour bid for Saab. [Times of London]

American Airlines and Hilton Hotels symbiosis in "Up in the Air" garner earned media. [NY Times]

Regulators to scrutinize brand's "real" claims. [AdAge]

Seeking to drive growth, General Mills turns to digital campaigns. [Warc]

Hasbro licenses toys to movie and video game developers. [WSJ]

Finally, PBS to be measured by Nielsen. [NY Times]Continue reading...

American Airlines co-stars in Up In The Air, George Clooney's new film about a high-powered consultant hell-bent on accumulating ten million frequent flyer miles, adapted from the Walter Kirn novel.

American Airlines is no stranger to films – it was integrated into Home Alone, and, more recently, the Sex And The City movie. But its presence in Up In The Air is so overpowering that the LA Times review complained that Clooney "shares lots of screen time with American Airlines."Continue reading...