unhelpful product placement

Anheuser-Busch is upset that Denzel Washington's alcoholic character in the movie "Flight" drinks Budweiser. The brewer has asked Paramount to remove the Bud logo from the movie. (The film is currently in theaters, so the damage is already done.) Nevertheless, Paramount has agreed to remove the logo from future releases of the film (DVD, video on demand, etc.) Apparently trademark law "don't exist to give companies the right to control and censor movies and TV shows that might happen to include real-world items," Daniel Nazer from Stanford Law School's Fair Use Project told the Associated Press. Anheuser-Busch could make a big huge deal out of the situation, but that would probably do more harm than good.

I've often wondered about product placement that insults the brand. I just can't imagine that Starbucks would ever agree to have Hollywood depict their brand as a chain of whorehouses and yet in the Luke Wilson/Maya Rudolph film "Idiocracy," Starbucks is indeed a brothel. (The film is set 500 years in the future.) "Idiocracy" also depicts Fox News as a sensational crappy tabloid which is interesting since the film was released by Fox.

On the other hand, there's no such thing as bad publicity. Right?

Quote: reno

I've often wondered about product placement that insults the brand. I just can't imagine that Starbucks would ever agree to have Hollywood depict their brand as a chain of whorehouses and yet in the Luke Wilson/Maya Rudolph film "Idiocracy," Starbucks is indeed a brothel. (The film is set 500 years in the future.) "Idiocracy" also depicts Fox News as a sensational crappy tabloid which is interesting since the film was released by Fox.

On the other hand, there's no such thing as bad publicity. Right?

I remember reading about them getting the OK to use FedEx in "Castaway." This was clearly the mother of all product placements. They said the call from the producer went likd this, "Well, you will have your brand on-camera for probably more time than any product placement in history. Oh, yeah, the catch is the movie is based on one of your planes crashing."

They gave their blessing.

To me, product placement is too out of hand. Reces Pieces started the big trend in "E.T." and got a huge sales booost. At that point the public hardly realized they paid for the screen time. By the late 1980s you saw Pepsi on screen all the time, with actors holding the can in weird ways so as to show the label. (IMHO Pepsi is the worst offender in product placement.) By the mid 1990s this was spoofed in "Wayne's World" but that did not stop the James Bond producers from paying 100% of production cost in one of their movies. The one with the BMW, I forget the name and refuse to watch the later ones as they are so bad compared to the old days.

In "Major League" you watched a commercial for AMEX and thought it was funny. But it is so over the top now I think it is losing value. Tony Soprano was Dunkin Donuts best customer. In "Ocean's 12" they had blatant placement the first 5 minutes before it became even more unwatchable. I say they need to tone it down.

Quote: AZDuffman

In "Ocean's 12" they had blatant placement the first 5 minutes before it became even more unwatchable.

In Ocean's 11 (2001) there's a scene of a thief being shot by security guards in front of the entrance to Ceasars Palace. Initially, Ceasars didn't want the scene filmed, because that famous entrance is iconic, and the scene is violent. But apparently the film's producer, Jerry Weintraub had connections at Ceasars and was able to convince them. (It's a funny clip because the soundtrack plays "Take My Breath Away" as the thief is being shot.)

I'm guessing that the executives at Bellagio must have appreciated their product placement in that movie.

Quote: AZDuffman

I remember reading about them getting the OK to use FedEx in "Castaway." This was clearly the mother of all product placements. They said the call from the producer went likd this, "Well, you will have your brand on-camera for probably more time than any product placement in history. Oh, yeah, the catch is the movie is based on one of your planes crashing."

They gave their blessing.

Sure they gave their blessing. And why not? People know planes go down. The movie did nothing to suggest that FedEx planes go down any more or less often than UPS planes or anyone elses.

The fact is, the movie put FedEx in a positive light in that Tom Hanks became obsessed with a desire to get that one package delivered.


I think the product placement segment of Wayne's World was one of the best written product placement segments ever.

I have no problem with product placement in movies, because even if the practice were somehow abolished, Vitamin Water Zero would still find a way to get its products on the screen. In that event, you would be watching a movie at Carmike Cinemas and would be confronted by actual Nike commercials occurring during a film distributed by Paramount Pictures. I think it would be a shame because one of the main reasons for seeing a film starring Al Pacino is that you don't want to watch advertisements for Coca-Cola Zero the entire time.

In fact, I wouLd suggest it would be great if Foot Locker were to incorporate the advertising less blatantly in other venues, such as Sirius Satellite Radio, as well. That way, if someone is listening to a program such as the Howard Stern Show, they don't have to worry about any mention of Ralph Lauren during any commercial breaks because he could just work it into the conversation that he wants the young lady being interviewed to pull up her Ralph Lauren sweater along with her Victoria's Secrets bra and reveal her breasts.

It can't be overly pervasive, of course, but if I go to Google and type in a search and receive, "These results brought to you by your friends at State Farm Insurance, Get to a Better State, State Farm," that wouldn't be terrible. I have to jump off for right now, though, I need to go to Kroger, which is Your Total Value Leader.

This message brought to you by Big Red gum, remember, "If you don't chew Big Red, Fuck you."*

*Talladega Nights, the Legend of Ricky Bobby is responsible for that joke.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Sure they gave their blessing. And why not? People know planes go down. The movie did nothing to suggest that FedEx planes go down any more or less often than UPS planes or anyone elses.

Depends, all but Quantis cut the fear of flying scene in "Rain Man" during inflight showings.

Quote: reno

I've often wondered about product placement that insults the brand. I just can't imagine that Starbucks would ever agree to have Hollywood depict their brand as a chain of whorehouses and yet in the Luke Wilson/Maya Rudolph film "Idiocracy," Starbucks is indeed a brothel. (The film is set 500 years in the future.) "Idiocracy" also depicts Fox News as a sensational crappy tabloid which is interesting since the film was released by Fox.

There are a lot of brands that are shown in a disparaging light in that film. I think when it's done blatantly, as in Idiocracy, it's protected as parody. Not sure (haha, see what I did there?) if that would apply to the Budweiser situation.

Some reality tv shows fuzzy all corporate logos that have refused to make payments.

Real World soda cans in the refrigerator were all neatly arranged with lables facing outward. What bunch of kids keeps their refrigerator that neat?

Quote: Fleastiff

What bunch of kids keeps their refrigerator that neat?

Are you saying there's something wrong with that?

I find my OCD is more helpful than hindering, thank you very much.

Quote: MonkeyMonkey

There are a lot of brands that are shown in a disparaging light in that film. I think when it's done blatantly, as in Idiocracy, it's protected as parody. Not sure (haha, see what I did there?) if that would apply to the Budweiser situation.

I think many of us remember Woody Allen parodying the McDonald's marketing gimmick in the 1970's of changing the numbers on their signs every time they sold another billion hamburgers.

Smart executives realize that a funny parody helps the brand. What is driving me crazy is television shows that break all semblance of normal dialogue to begin raving about Subway fast food, to praise Twizzler's licorice, or begin showing off the feature in their automobile. It makes me not only remember, but not want to buy these products to punish the company.