TV’s Old Product-Placement Era Could Be Nearing Its End
February 13, 2015 9:03 AM Subscribe
Madison Avenue is looking differently at so-called product placement, the decades-old practice of inserting name-brand cans of soda, gadgets, and cars into the scenes and dialogue of TV programs. [...] The days of jamming the mention of a Subway sandwich or Dr. Pepper into dialogue in, say, CBS’ “Hawaii Five-0” or NBC’s “Chuck” or the CW’s “90210” — all actual examples — may be coming to a close.
You know, it's a very unpopular opinion, but I actually don't mind product placement when it isn't done too poorly. I find it lot less jarring than I did when I was a kid and a super well-off television family was drinking generic soda which just felt like A LIE.
Jane the Virgin (which is as wonderful as you have heard) obviously has some sort of arrangement with Target this season, and the store has been integrated into the dialogue with varying degrees of success. In the last episode, however, Jane's super-rich boyfriend was preparing a last-minute surprise party for her, and her family had the following exchange about it.
Jane's Mom: “He was at Target for two hours.”
Jane's Grandma: “Probably because he’s never been there before.”
That's advertising that works for me.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:13 AM on February 13, 2015 [22 favorites]
Jane the Virgin (which is as wonderful as you have heard) obviously has some sort of arrangement with Target this season, and the store has been integrated into the dialogue with varying degrees of success. In the last episode, however, Jane's super-rich boyfriend was preparing a last-minute surprise party for her, and her family had the following exchange about it.
Jane's Mom: “He was at Target for two hours.”
Jane's Grandma: “Probably because he’s never been there before.”
That's advertising that works for me.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:13 AM on February 13, 2015 [22 favorites]
God, I hope this is true. The intrusiveness of some product placement in recent TV is pretty astonishing. I find this particularly the case with car advertising, when you have Your Heroes taking time out as they drive to the crime scene of whatever to have a little chat about the amazing lane-sensing abilities of their Prius, or the careful establishing shot of the car's logo in the center of the steering wheel as they show the driver using the integrated GPS and/or phone system etc. I really don't care about just having some paid-for product in the show, but the deliberate showcasing of it and having it actually creep into the dialogue really breaks you out of the story world.
posted by yoink at 9:15 AM on February 13, 2015 [10 favorites]
posted by yoink at 9:15 AM on February 13, 2015 [10 favorites]
You know, it's a very unpopular opinion, but I actually don't mind product placement when it isn't done too poorly. I find it lot less jarring than I did when I was a kid and a super well-off television family was drinking generic soda which just felt like A LIE.
I don't know about you but I only eat Let's potato chips. They're crispy, salty, not too greasy. Some are shaped like ducks and they're only $1.79 at Krogers.
posted by Talez at 9:16 AM on February 13, 2015 [12 favorites]
I don't know about you but I only eat Let's potato chips. They're crispy, salty, not too greasy. Some are shaped like ducks and they're only $1.79 at Krogers.
posted by Talez at 9:16 AM on February 13, 2015 [12 favorites]
.
(That's not a period. That's a very small Reese's Pieces.)
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 9:17 AM on February 13, 2015 [22 favorites]
(That's not a period. That's a very small Reese's Pieces.)
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 9:17 AM on February 13, 2015 [22 favorites]
Contract or no, I will not bow to any sponsor.
posted by jozxyqk at 9:18 AM on February 13, 2015 [9 favorites]
posted by jozxyqk at 9:18 AM on February 13, 2015 [9 favorites]
You think we would have all learned from Repo Man ..
posted by k5.user at 9:18 AM on February 13, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by k5.user at 9:18 AM on February 13, 2015 [7 favorites]
The last time I watched Bones (which has been quite awhile) they kept regularly shoehorning-in scenes of the characters driving in a Toyota, and they would start chatting and pointing-out the nice features in the car. It was so, so painfully obvious, and really stopped any action dead in its tracks.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:18 AM on February 13, 2015 [8 favorites]
posted by Thorzdad at 9:18 AM on February 13, 2015 [8 favorites]
Wow, that Hawaii Five-0 scene was ham-fisted.
posted by infinitewindow at 9:19 AM on February 13, 2015
posted by infinitewindow at 9:19 AM on February 13, 2015
It's the 80s. It's time for Product Placement!
posted by jozxyqk at 9:22 AM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by jozxyqk at 9:22 AM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
I'd actually like it better if it was completely obvious and ham-fisted and broke the fourth wall and any other walls, like the GE stuff in 30 Rock.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:25 AM on February 13, 2015 [11 favorites]
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 9:25 AM on February 13, 2015 [11 favorites]
Wow, that Hawaii Five-0 scene was ham-fisted.
Some people roll with it and some people go all in.
eat fresh
posted by Talez at 9:25 AM on February 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
Some people roll with it and some people go all in.
eat fresh
posted by Talez at 9:25 AM on February 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
That's advertising that works for me.
That's a lot more natural-sounding than in recent(ish) years. I remember the time Avatar was a significant plot piece in Bones, and a number of forceful references to various Ford vehicles, and other tacky references. No one is that excited about Avatar or any features in car.
Here's a related Reddit discussion from a year ago, that came up when I was looking for more references to terrible product placement in Bones.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:27 AM on February 13, 2015
That's a lot more natural-sounding than in recent(ish) years. I remember the time Avatar was a significant plot piece in Bones, and a number of forceful references to various Ford vehicles, and other tacky references. No one is that excited about Avatar or any features in car.
Here's a related Reddit discussion from a year ago, that came up when I was looking for more references to terrible product placement in Bones.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:27 AM on February 13, 2015
Rather than straining their eyes in search of product intrusions into favorite series, viewers might want to narrow their gaze at how logos and other distinctive brand markings burrow in new fashion into commercial breaks and other parts of the TV screen.
Sorry Mad Men, I barely have time to get another beer from the fridge as it is ... and if I'm recording it to watch later, you -do- know I'm still gonna FF over the commercials, right?
posted by Autumn Leaf at 9:27 AM on February 13, 2015
Sorry Mad Men, I barely have time to get another beer from the fridge as it is ... and if I'm recording it to watch later, you -do- know I'm still gonna FF over the commercials, right?
posted by Autumn Leaf at 9:27 AM on February 13, 2015
Remember those seasons of XF and Fringe with all those Ford cars? Yeah. Super sweet Taurus, Mulder.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 9:28 AM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 9:28 AM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
The last time I watched Bones (which has been quite awhile) they kept regularly shoehorning-in scenes of the characters driving in a Toyota, and they would start chatting and pointing-out the nice features in the car.
This shit is all over USA's crop of cheesy escapist dramas. Burn Notice and White Collar in particular had jarring elements of super-spy and super-cop taking time to wax rhapsodic about their Hyundais and Fords.
posted by Etrigan at 9:30 AM on February 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
This shit is all over USA's crop of cheesy escapist dramas. Burn Notice and White Collar in particular had jarring elements of super-spy and super-cop taking time to wax rhapsodic about their Hyundais and Fords.
posted by Etrigan at 9:30 AM on February 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
It seems like an odd time to end it. If you have product placement, now, not only do you get the initial airings but you also get streaming binge watchers in the years to come.
posted by drezdn at 9:31 AM on February 13, 2015
posted by drezdn at 9:31 AM on February 13, 2015
As far as car ad placement, I think we can all agree that Gus' blueberry on Psych was pretty hilarious and was a gag that went on for the entire run of the show.
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 9:34 AM on February 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by fluffy battle kitten at 9:34 AM on February 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
Really, I find the Toyota-related dialogue is generally the source of the most amusement in a given episode of Bones, and certainly the only reliable way to get actual belly-laughs from the show. It goes so far beyond merely awkward and ham-handed that it almost resembles deliberate absurdism.
posted by RogerB at 9:38 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by RogerB at 9:38 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
The over-the-top product placement is why I stopped watching Bones. When you a pursuing a murderer and take two minutes to discuss how cool the parking assist features on your car are, I'm done. My daughter could have died while you were hawking Priuses!
posted by Pater Aletheias at 9:40 AM on February 13, 2015 [6 favorites]
posted by Pater Aletheias at 9:40 AM on February 13, 2015 [6 favorites]
Remember those seasons of XF and Fringe with all those Ford cars?
I don't give a damn if a series always has Our Hero driving such-and-such a brand, or even if Our Hero drives through a city in which, oddly, EVERYONE is driving that brand. What just drops me out of my suspension of disbelief is if Our Hero takes time out from his/her busy day of Saving The World to say "Wow, the cupholders on this thing are amazing!" or "I never would have escaped from that SuperVillain if I hadn't had the sweet, sweet stability control system in this baby!"
Even the loving slow pan across the front of the car, with the light glinting of the brand badge is a mood-killer for me--that was one that used to happen in Fringe and it always pissed me off.
posted by yoink at 9:42 AM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
I don't give a damn if a series always has Our Hero driving such-and-such a brand, or even if Our Hero drives through a city in which, oddly, EVERYONE is driving that brand. What just drops me out of my suspension of disbelief is if Our Hero takes time out from his/her busy day of Saving The World to say "Wow, the cupholders on this thing are amazing!" or "I never would have escaped from that SuperVillain if I hadn't had the sweet, sweet stability control system in this baby!"
Even the loving slow pan across the front of the car, with the light glinting of the brand badge is a mood-killer for me--that was one that used to happen in Fringe and it always pissed me off.
posted by yoink at 9:42 AM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
I find this particularly the case with car advertising,
God yes, the USA network shows seemed particularly susceptible to this. White Collar had the guys endlessly talking about how great their Ford Taurus was at random moments. And then there was Burn Notice, where Fiona suddenly decided to get a Hyundai Genesis coupe, and poor Michael had to do one of his trademarked spycraft voiceover narratives that was entirely about how her freaking Hyundai was the perfect car for a car chase. It was just bizarre.
And don't even get me started on the Hyundai SUV that was on Walking Dead for a season and never got dirty or banged up or covered in blood, but somehow always looked like it was fresh off the showroom floor. Who the fuck wants their product placed in the zombie apocalypse?* (Note that I have no problem with the Dodge Challenger Glen drove in the pilot. It's all about how you use the product. Some shows manage to do it very well. Some don't.)
* When Zak Snyder was doing his Dawn of the Dead remake, they kept going to big brands and asking if they wanted to have one of their stores in the mall where most of the action took place. And their marketing departments were all like, wait, you want to do WHAT to somebody in one of our stores? Oh hell no!
So they had to make up coffee shops and clothing stores and everything. With one exception. Panasonic apparently decided they didn't give a damn, sure, put us in there. So the mall has a Panasonic store - which I'm not sure is even a real-world thing at all.
posted by Naberius at 9:45 AM on February 13, 2015 [7 favorites]
God yes, the USA network shows seemed particularly susceptible to this. White Collar had the guys endlessly talking about how great their Ford Taurus was at random moments. And then there was Burn Notice, where Fiona suddenly decided to get a Hyundai Genesis coupe, and poor Michael had to do one of his trademarked spycraft voiceover narratives that was entirely about how her freaking Hyundai was the perfect car for a car chase. It was just bizarre.
And don't even get me started on the Hyundai SUV that was on Walking Dead for a season and never got dirty or banged up or covered in blood, but somehow always looked like it was fresh off the showroom floor. Who the fuck wants their product placed in the zombie apocalypse?* (Note that I have no problem with the Dodge Challenger Glen drove in the pilot. It's all about how you use the product. Some shows manage to do it very well. Some don't.)
* When Zak Snyder was doing his Dawn of the Dead remake, they kept going to big brands and asking if they wanted to have one of their stores in the mall where most of the action took place. And their marketing departments were all like, wait, you want to do WHAT to somebody in one of our stores? Oh hell no!
So they had to make up coffee shops and clothing stores and everything. With one exception. Panasonic apparently decided they didn't give a damn, sure, put us in there. So the mall has a Panasonic store - which I'm not sure is even a real-world thing at all.
posted by Naberius at 9:45 AM on February 13, 2015 [7 favorites]
One of my favorite product placement moments in recent memory was when two characters on Pretty Little Liars had a long conversation about how scary Insidious 2 was. It was so close to being natural in a "I've heard this is really scary, wanna go?" way, but given that there were ads for the movie during every ad break, it was really obvious. The show is also doing a beauty pageant plot right now and the posters for the contest all feature glass slippers and coloring that looks exactly like the new live action Cinderella movie; I assume they're going to make it more explicit, but for now it's surprisingly subtle.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 9:47 AM on February 13, 2015
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 9:47 AM on February 13, 2015
Who in the Hell is eatin' all of my Choco Tacos up in here?
posted by gimli at 9:48 AM on February 13, 2015
posted by gimli at 9:48 AM on February 13, 2015
I'm not sure how the CW's Microsoft Arrow will continue...
posted by mcstayinskool at 9:50 AM on February 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by mcstayinskool at 9:50 AM on February 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
The odd thing is that in real life, most people probably do spend a non-trivial amount of time talking about products. I mean, if I'm on a road trip in my friend's new car, it's not unlikely that there's going to be conversation about the features of that car. A watercooler conversation about the relative merits of Roku vs. Chromecast is, perhaps sadly, something I've had more than once.
But those are the sort of conversations that, if you were making a movie, you'd just cut out. It breaks the fourth wall not because it's not realistic, but because it's so banal. The disconnect happens not because the conversation is implausible, but because the editing decision is implausible. It violates the implicit agreement with the viewer that the stuff being shown on the screen is somehow important to the plot or story.
And I'm not sure how you can get around that. If the camera lingers on a car's hood ornament, you are kind of creating an unresolved Chekov's Gun situation, provided the brand of that particular car doesn't turn out, later on, to be somehow important. (Which, conceivably, it could be—did the bad guy drive off in a Ford but the suspect is driving a Chevy?—but if it's inserted purely for the purposes of advertising it almost certainly isn't.)
I guess if you knew about the product-placement requirements earlier in the screenwriting cycle maybe it would be more natural, somehow integrated into the plot in a coherent way, but the current model seems to just bolt them on at the end somehow and that's when they seem ridiculous.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:51 AM on February 13, 2015 [23 favorites]
But those are the sort of conversations that, if you were making a movie, you'd just cut out. It breaks the fourth wall not because it's not realistic, but because it's so banal. The disconnect happens not because the conversation is implausible, but because the editing decision is implausible. It violates the implicit agreement with the viewer that the stuff being shown on the screen is somehow important to the plot or story.
And I'm not sure how you can get around that. If the camera lingers on a car's hood ornament, you are kind of creating an unresolved Chekov's Gun situation, provided the brand of that particular car doesn't turn out, later on, to be somehow important. (Which, conceivably, it could be—did the bad guy drive off in a Ford but the suspect is driving a Chevy?—but if it's inserted purely for the purposes of advertising it almost certainly isn't.)
I guess if you knew about the product-placement requirements earlier in the screenwriting cycle maybe it would be more natural, somehow integrated into the plot in a coherent way, but the current model seems to just bolt them on at the end somehow and that's when they seem ridiculous.
posted by Kadin2048 at 9:51 AM on February 13, 2015 [23 favorites]
I'm not sure what's worse: that I've seen every episode of Vampire Diaries or that I keep noticing how their mobile phone sponsor keeps changing and get mad that the constantly changing phones takes my out of the plot. I mean, I'm supposed to believe that these immortal vampires, occasionally remembered witches, and random werewolves get new phones every other week? C'MON!
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:52 AM on February 13, 2015 [7 favorites]
posted by robocop is bleeding at 9:52 AM on February 13, 2015 [7 favorites]
If viewers are no longer responding to product placement, the advertisers' solution will be to make the commercials better. And when I say "better," I don't mean interesting or clever. I mean "viral" and "buzzworthy." God help us all.
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:54 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Faint of Butt at 9:54 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
So last season on Parks and Recreation was just slathered with product placement for Microsoft; like, at least two or three times an episode, characters would brandish windows phones, use a windows 8 touchscreen computer, or like hold up their windows phones so that they can get a picture of their windows tablet. At points in the season, members of the cast seemed to get somewhat mutinous about it — specifically, if you're looking for it you can tell that there's a lot of scenes where Aubrey Plaza deliberately held her phone so that you couldn't see what it was. Later on in the season these scenes were followed by clumsily-inserted close-ups of her pushing buttons on the phone (which I imagine were the result of Microsoft noticing that Plaza was hiding the phone and demanding the insertion of a scene showing it off).
BUT, here's why I love Parks and Recreation: this season is set 3 years in the future, and in all the places where last season featured characters ostentatiously showing off Microsoft gear, this season deploys the exact same visual rhetoric to show off ridiculous futuristic semi-holographic Minority Report-seeming phones and tablets manufactured by Grzzyl, the show's fictional Google/Apple tech monolith.
my favorite was the bit a few episodes ago where one of the Gryzzl representatives leaves a scene by riding off on a holographic skateboard projected by his tablet...
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 9:57 AM on February 13, 2015 [9 favorites]
BUT, here's why I love Parks and Recreation: this season is set 3 years in the future, and in all the places where last season featured characters ostentatiously showing off Microsoft gear, this season deploys the exact same visual rhetoric to show off ridiculous futuristic semi-holographic Minority Report-seeming phones and tablets manufactured by Grzzyl, the show's fictional Google/Apple tech monolith.
my favorite was the bit a few episodes ago where one of the Gryzzl representatives leaves a scene by riding off on a holographic skateboard projected by his tablet...
posted by You Can't Tip a Buick at 9:57 AM on February 13, 2015 [9 favorites]
Future series will be about literal corporate logos having adventures with their respective products.
posted by Sangermaine at 9:58 AM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Sangermaine at 9:58 AM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
The odd thing is that in real life, most people probably do spend a non-trivial amount of time talking about products. I mean, if I'm on a road trip in my friend's new car, it's not unlikely that there's going to be conversation about the features of that car. A watercooler conversation about the relative merits of Roku vs. Chromecast is, perhaps sadly, something I've had more than once.
Yeah, but in real-life, you can use terms like "piece-of-shit" and "total ripoff," which is how most product conversations go in my world. But then, we're cheapskates and tend to get secondhand or barebones versions of things.
posted by emjaybee at 10:00 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
Yeah, but in real-life, you can use terms like "piece-of-shit" and "total ripoff," which is how most product conversations go in my world. But then, we're cheapskates and tend to get secondhand or barebones versions of things.
posted by emjaybee at 10:00 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
I've worked with a couple of clients that liked to have their product inserted in movie scenes, but subtly: with no on-screen mention. Just a visible product in a scene's background, without having the camera linger over it. If say, the client was Keurig, then one of their coffee makers might clearly be seen in a character's kitchen for the duration of a scene.
Cost is typically minimal or non-existent. But at the same time only subconsciously recognizable to a viewing audience. How much possible benefit in terms of product recognition or further leveraging by the company ("see our products in Mission Impossible 12!") there is to that sort of placement is hard to estimate. And logically one might think that it's a matter of diminishing returns -- a placement that is unlikely to win new customers, only those for whom a product is immediately recognizable. But both clients felt that measurable increases in sales were directly connected.
posted by zarq at 10:02 AM on February 13, 2015
Cost is typically minimal or non-existent. But at the same time only subconsciously recognizable to a viewing audience. How much possible benefit in terms of product recognition or further leveraging by the company ("see our products in Mission Impossible 12!") there is to that sort of placement is hard to estimate. And logically one might think that it's a matter of diminishing returns -- a placement that is unlikely to win new customers, only those for whom a product is immediately recognizable. But both clients felt that measurable increases in sales were directly connected.
posted by zarq at 10:02 AM on February 13, 2015
The best product placement is the King of Coffee, who will tell us about WorkJuice.
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:05 AM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by fifteen schnitzengruben is my limit at 10:05 AM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
The article seems to be saying that product placement will get more subtle, more nuanced, not that it will go away. But I'll bet TV networks are worried about streaming networks that can more easily and quickly insert ads and make revenue from units sold. For instance, Amazon advertising one of its services in one of its prominent shows. Live streams are even better, in that they can contain a variety of products that need to be promoted because of, say, current inventory backlog or sales quotas or whatever. Networks may not be able to compete with that.
posted by a lungful of dragon at 10:06 AM on February 13, 2015
posted by a lungful of dragon at 10:06 AM on February 13, 2015
TV product placement is an old tradition. Need a smoke? Or maybe a subtle plug for the new 1965 Mustang.
posted by Zedcaster at 10:09 AM on February 13, 2015
posted by Zedcaster at 10:09 AM on February 13, 2015
Super sweet Taurus, Mulder
You clearly don't appreciate the role of the Ford Taurus as the de facto sci-fi car of the future in movie after movie! The Ford Taurus is the jetpack you were promised.
posted by srboisvert at 10:10 AM on February 13, 2015 [8 favorites]
You clearly don't appreciate the role of the Ford Taurus as the de facto sci-fi car of the future in movie after movie! The Ford Taurus is the jetpack you were promised.
posted by srboisvert at 10:10 AM on February 13, 2015 [8 favorites]
Maybe it's just me, but the referenced article in Variety seemed to be just very poorly written. The topic is interesting, and I get that the main message is how things are trending towards less product placement - but there's no real discussion of why this is happening, and some of the reasoning doesn't make sense: at one point the article mentions product placement as a response to viewers skipping commercials, and at another point it talks about advertisers putting "new fashion into commercial breaks". Commercial breaks that the viewers are (presumably) skipping???
Sorry to nit-pick. It's just been awhile since I've seen something quite this poorly executed. The Hawaii Five-0 snippet was the high point of the article.
Re product placement: my 'favorites' in recent years have been from Cisco (which was awesome on 30 Rock and utterly horrid on CSI: Miami) and Sony on House of Cards. And maybe Dodge on Breaking Bad, although it's not clear to me if that was actually sponsored product placement or not.
posted by doctor tough love at 10:14 AM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
Sorry to nit-pick. It's just been awhile since I've seen something quite this poorly executed. The Hawaii Five-0 snippet was the high point of the article.
Re product placement: my 'favorites' in recent years have been from Cisco (which was awesome on 30 Rock and utterly horrid on CSI: Miami) and Sony on House of Cards. And maybe Dodge on Breaking Bad, although it's not clear to me if that was actually sponsored product placement or not.
posted by doctor tough love at 10:14 AM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
Indeed, Zedcaster. IIRC, old-time radio was so full of this that it created the laws today limiting advertising on children's programs. (e.g., "Go to your mom RIGHT NOW and tell her to buy frosted flakes.")
posted by Melismata at 10:16 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Melismata at 10:16 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
Future series will be about literal corporate logos having adventures with their respective products.
You're behind the curve.
posted by kewb at 10:17 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
You're behind the curve.
posted by kewb at 10:17 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
The Ford Taurus is the jetpack you were promised.
"It's a Taurus! It practically drives itself!" -- Peter Burke, White Collar
posted by Naberius at 10:19 AM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
"It's a Taurus! It practically drives itself!" -- Peter Burke, White Collar
posted by Naberius at 10:19 AM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
Maybe it's just me, but the referenced article in Variety seemed to be just very poorly written. The topic is interesting, and I get that the main message is how things are trending towards less product placement - but there's no real discussion of why this is happening, and some of the reasoning doesn't make sense: at one point the article mentions product placement as a response to viewers skipping commercials, and at another point it talks about advertisers putting "new fashion into commercial breaks". Commercial breaks that the viewers are (presumably) skipping???
Not sure if this is what they mean, but On Demand and Hulu videos of television episodes often includes unskippable commercials. It's possible the disconnect is due to the difference between those and skippable ones.
posted by zarq at 10:19 AM on February 13, 2015
Not sure if this is what they mean, but On Demand and Hulu videos of television episodes often includes unskippable commercials. It's possible the disconnect is due to the difference between those and skippable ones.
posted by zarq at 10:19 AM on February 13, 2015
Remember those seasons of XF and Fringe with all those Ford cars? Yeah. Super sweet Taurus, Mulder.
Government-issue Crown Vic, surely. What else would you have an FBI agent drive?
posted by Sys Rq at 10:20 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
Government-issue Crown Vic, surely. What else would you have an FBI agent drive?
posted by Sys Rq at 10:20 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
Related to Naberius's comment earlier about Dawn of the Dead's mall stores, I mentioned this in thread about the movie's website, but it appears that the in-universe resort hotel in Jurassic World is a branded Hilton.
And as much as I'd like to stay at the Hilton Isla Nublar Resort and Spa, I'm not sure the movie is going to sell the Hilton brand. (But I'm still glad they are doing it.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:39 AM on February 13, 2015
And as much as I'd like to stay at the Hilton Isla Nublar Resort and Spa, I'm not sure the movie is going to sell the Hilton brand. (But I'm still glad they are doing it.)
posted by MCMikeNamara at 10:39 AM on February 13, 2015
Breaking Bad was always doing lingering close-up shots of various objects to create atmosphere during a scene opening. I could easily imagine a hood ornament or crumpled Pepsi can fitting into one of those montages without setting off Advertising Alarms, provided that the object fit meaningfully into the scene. Branded products are a ubiquitous part of the background and sometimes the background is part of the story. But you need aesthetic sensibilities and technical skill to make it work, which most television directors don't even pretend to have.
posted by dephlogisticated at 10:39 AM on February 13, 2015
posted by dephlogisticated at 10:39 AM on February 13, 2015
Breaking Bad was always doing lingering close-up shots of various objects to create atmosphere during a scene opening. I could easily imagine a hood ornament or crumpled Pepsi can fitting into one of those montages without setting off Advertising Alarms, provided that the object fit meaningfully into the scene.
Ehhhhhh....
posted by Sys Rq at 10:49 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
Ehhhhhh....
posted by Sys Rq at 10:49 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
My mom was surprised to find that real world Chevy Volts actually have the panel in front of the side mirrors that say "VOLT", she saw it all the time on some TV show, but she figured it was just put there for the show to make sure the car's name showed up in shots of people getting in and out of it.
posted by ckape at 10:50 AM on February 13, 2015
posted by ckape at 10:50 AM on February 13, 2015
"Go faster, Neddy!"
"I can't, it's a Geo!!!"
posted by Chrysostom at 11:13 AM on February 13, 2015 [6 favorites]
"I can't, it's a Geo!!!"
posted by Chrysostom at 11:13 AM on February 13, 2015 [6 favorites]
I'll be pretty happy if (1) I stop seeing ridiculous Microsoft Surface product shots on Elementary, and (2) characters on The Walking Dead stop finding abandoned cars that have been introduced years after the whole zombie apocalypse went down.
I think they've cut out the things with the cars, maybe. They still all drive only one brand of car, though.
posted by pwinn at 11:15 AM on February 13, 2015
I think they've cut out the things with the cars, maybe. They still all drive only one brand of car, though.
posted by pwinn at 11:15 AM on February 13, 2015
Dodge on Breaking Bad, although it's not clear to me if that was actually sponsored product placement or not.
It was; Gilligan & co discussed this in the Breaking Bad Insider podcasts, calling it an opportunity for "organic" placement.
(I thought the "LOOK AT THESE CARS" scene that Sys Rq linked above worked reasonably well in context; that subplot absolutely is about Walt exercising his machismo and indulging himself and Junior, and the hyped-up cinematography plays into that. More jarring to me was the "they're from the deli at Albertsons" placement later in the series; it's so unusual to hear a brand name spoken on TV.)
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:16 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
It was; Gilligan & co discussed this in the Breaking Bad Insider podcasts, calling it an opportunity for "organic" placement.
(I thought the "LOOK AT THESE CARS" scene that Sys Rq linked above worked reasonably well in context; that subplot absolutely is about Walt exercising his machismo and indulging himself and Junior, and the hyped-up cinematography plays into that. More jarring to me was the "they're from the deli at Albertsons" placement later in the series; it's so unusual to hear a brand name spoken on TV.)
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:16 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
ridiculous Microsoft Surface product shots on Elementary
And on Under The Dome, for which they had to invent a handwavy "hey look the WiFi's back on" explanation to show the product actually working...
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:17 AM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
And on Under The Dome, for which they had to invent a handwavy "hey look the WiFi's back on" explanation to show the product actually working...
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 11:17 AM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
Oh yeah, I forgot about Under The Dome. Honestly, I think that whole Surface subplot is what finally made me stop watching.
posted by pwinn at 11:20 AM on February 13, 2015
posted by pwinn at 11:20 AM on February 13, 2015
I would tolerate a thousand ham-fisted product placement scenes if once, just once, a character launches into the spiel and the other character says, "Shut the fuck up."
posted by Monochrome at 11:28 AM on February 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
posted by Monochrome at 11:28 AM on February 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
More jarring to me was the "they're from the deli at Albertsons" placement later in the series; it's so unusual to hear a brand name spoken on TV.)
Huh, I had no idea Albertsons was a real place. I'd be jarred if I was driving down the highway and saw one of them.
The Tauruses on the X-Files were especially odd because they're always in rental cars, pretty much. It wasn't one Taurus they used over and over again, it was just a world where every Budget only had Fords in stock.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:31 AM on February 13, 2015
Huh, I had no idea Albertsons was a real place. I'd be jarred if I was driving down the highway and saw one of them.
The Tauruses on the X-Files were especially odd because they're always in rental cars, pretty much. It wasn't one Taurus they used over and over again, it was just a world where every Budget only had Fords in stock.
posted by Bulgaroktonos at 11:31 AM on February 13, 2015
I'm surprised that nobody mentioned Josie and the Pussycats yet, since it's basically the Wayne's World gag stretched out to a feature-length movie.
posted by ckape at 11:42 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by ckape at 11:42 AM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
The second time I saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier I noticed that every single vehicle in it that doesn't fly (except Cap's motorcycle) was a Chevy. I find this terribly annoying and it's going to bug me if I ever watch it again.
posted by Foosnark at 11:48 AM on February 13, 2015
posted by Foosnark at 11:48 AM on February 13, 2015
characters on The Walking Dead stop finding abandoned cars that have been introduced years after the whole zombie apocalypse went down.
"After the zombie apocalypse, our cars will get you to safety! For awhile! Till all the gasoline runs out!"
Huh, I had no idea Albertsons was a real place. I'd be jarred if I was driving down the highway and saw one of them.
I get my rotisserie chicken there every week!
posted by emjaybee at 11:58 AM on February 13, 2015
"After the zombie apocalypse, our cars will get you to safety! For awhile! Till all the gasoline runs out!"
Huh, I had no idea Albertsons was a real place. I'd be jarred if I was driving down the highway and saw one of them.
I get my rotisserie chicken there every week!
posted by emjaybee at 11:58 AM on February 13, 2015
Bulgaroktonos: "Huh, I had no idea Albertsons was a real place."
It's the second largest grocery chain in North America.
posted by Chrysostom at 11:59 AM on February 13, 2015
It's the second largest grocery chain in North America.
posted by Chrysostom at 11:59 AM on February 13, 2015
That's only been the case for two weeks, since its merger with Safeway more than doubled its previous size.
posted by Sys Rq at 12:05 PM on February 13, 2015
posted by Sys Rq at 12:05 PM on February 13, 2015
Well I just found myself sitting through an entire YouTube pre-video ad, so if advertisers want to appeal to me they need to come up with more bleu cheese scented candles.
posted by benito.strauss at 12:06 PM on February 13, 2015
posted by benito.strauss at 12:06 PM on February 13, 2015
Future series will be about literal corporate logos having adventures with their respective products.
I'm pretty sure that if it hadn't been for all the porn, there would have been an Erin Esurance move by now.
posted by happyroach at 12:07 PM on February 13, 2015
I'm pretty sure that if it hadn't been for all the porn, there would have been an Erin Esurance move by now.
posted by happyroach at 12:07 PM on February 13, 2015
One that gets me... MasterChef Junior... "Now, pull out the Microsoft Surface tablets, and call your family with Skype!"
("No, you don't get to keep those tablets, do you have ANY idea how expensive those things are?")
Seriously Fox, you're making millions of dollars on the show, you're getting product sponsorship for those tablets, and you're NOT giving them away to the kids?
posted by el io at 12:10 PM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
("No, you don't get to keep those tablets, do you have ANY idea how expensive those things are?")
Seriously Fox, you're making millions of dollars on the show, you're getting product sponsorship for those tablets, and you're NOT giving them away to the kids?
posted by el io at 12:10 PM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
On the Angelos and Barry podcast they had a great running gag for a while about getting angry letters from the CEO of Audible. I still don't know if they were actually sponsored or if it was all a wind-up.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 12:16 PM on February 13, 2015
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 12:16 PM on February 13, 2015
I'm pretty sure that if it hadn't been for all the porn, there would have been an Erin Esurance move by now.
Oh wow. I thought you were kidding.
posted by zarq at 12:20 PM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
Oh wow. I thought you were kidding.
posted by zarq at 12:20 PM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
We've been through this before. I listen to old episodes of the Jack Benny Show when I can't sleep, and all throughout its decades-long run (1930s-1950s) various sponsors, including Chevrolet, Lucky Strike, and Jello, would have their names, slogans, and other sideways references merged into the content of the show. Sometimes it would be a joke about the Lucky Strike tobacco auctioneer (hear him here), sometimes it would be joking about five delicious flavors (which the audience knew meant Jello). But they are there again and again and nearly the same in tone and intent to what we see on TV today.
posted by Mo Nickels at 12:22 PM on February 13, 2015
posted by Mo Nickels at 12:22 PM on February 13, 2015
Jerry Seinfeld does product-placement in a pretty fun way on "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee." It's about as non-slimy as it can be.
posted by Mo Nickels at 12:25 PM on February 13, 2015
posted by Mo Nickels at 12:25 PM on February 13, 2015
The Official Car of the X-Files movie, Fight the Future, was the Oldsmobile Intrigue. They had a huge ad campaign about it, with the car in weird situations not actually taken from the film. It was bizarre. The Oldsmobile Intrigue? What's the market for that car? Are they really into the X-Files?
Which reminds me of the Fast Food Tie-In Scale (tm) I used to use to predict how good an upcoming summer movie was going to be. If the movie had a deal w McDonalds or Burger King, it was probably going to be a good movie. Wendy's or lesser chains, now you had cause for concern but maybe it would be okay. And if it was something bizarre like Subway or Long John Silver's, that was basically them just kicking the movie out into the cold to die. It was sure to be awful.
I don't think this model really holds up anymore, but it was very reliable throughout the 80s and into the 90s.
posted by Naberius at 12:37 PM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
Which reminds me of the Fast Food Tie-In Scale (tm) I used to use to predict how good an upcoming summer movie was going to be. If the movie had a deal w McDonalds or Burger King, it was probably going to be a good movie. Wendy's or lesser chains, now you had cause for concern but maybe it would be okay. And if it was something bizarre like Subway or Long John Silver's, that was basically them just kicking the movie out into the cold to die. It was sure to be awful.
I don't think this model really holds up anymore, but it was very reliable throughout the 80s and into the 90s.
posted by Naberius at 12:37 PM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
After watching the opening ep of Better Call Saul I was seriously thinking about making a trip to one of the four only Cinnabons in the UK... so that totally worked.
Remember an interesting interview with one of the directors on Breaking Bad on how they did the product placement and integrated into the plot of the show... like the time that Walk bought those flash cars and there's just several minutes of straight up car pr0n.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:11 PM on February 13, 2015
Remember an interesting interview with one of the directors on Breaking Bad on how they did the product placement and integrated into the plot of the show... like the time that Walk bought those flash cars and there's just several minutes of straight up car pr0n.
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 1:11 PM on February 13, 2015
The second time I saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier I noticed that every single vehicle in it that doesn't fly (except Cap's motorcycle) was a Chevy. I find this terribly annoying and it's going to bug me if I ever watch it again.
I guess I probably shouldn't point out that the preceding MCU films were full of Acuras, huh?
posted by Fleebnork at 1:13 PM on February 13, 2015
I guess I probably shouldn't point out that the preceding MCU films were full of Acuras, huh?
posted by Fleebnork at 1:13 PM on February 13, 2015
(except Cap's motorcycle)
Which is a Harley Davidson. So again, more product placement.
Still better than the overuse of Ducati's in a lot of movies from the 2000's.
posted by daq at 1:28 PM on February 13, 2015
Which is a Harley Davidson. So again, more product placement.
Still better than the overuse of Ducati's in a lot of movies from the 2000's.
posted by daq at 1:28 PM on February 13, 2015
The odd thing is that in real life, most people probably do spend a non-trivial amount of time talking about products. I mean, if I'm on a road trip in my friend's new car, it's not unlikely that there's going to be conversation about the features of that car. A watercooler conversation about the relative merits of Roku vs. Chromecast is, perhaps sadly, something I've had more than once.
But those are the sort of conversations that, if you were making a movie, you'd just cut out. It breaks the fourth wall not because it's not realistic, but because it's so banal. The disconnect happens not because the conversation is implausible, but because the editing decision is implausible. It violates the implicit agreement with the viewer that the stuff being shown on the screen is somehow important to the plot or story.
That's exactly why this famous scene from Pulp Fiction worked. Tarantino well-understood that the judicious use of banality can lend a paradoxical realism.
posted by clockzero at 1:38 PM on February 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
But those are the sort of conversations that, if you were making a movie, you'd just cut out. It breaks the fourth wall not because it's not realistic, but because it's so banal. The disconnect happens not because the conversation is implausible, but because the editing decision is implausible. It violates the implicit agreement with the viewer that the stuff being shown on the screen is somehow important to the plot or story.
That's exactly why this famous scene from Pulp Fiction worked. Tarantino well-understood that the judicious use of banality can lend a paradoxical realism.
posted by clockzero at 1:38 PM on February 13, 2015 [5 favorites]
The Strain was obviously doing product placements for vampire-killing UVC ultraviolet lights.
posted by bad grammar at 1:42 PM on February 13, 2015
posted by bad grammar at 1:42 PM on February 13, 2015
> Ehhhhhh....
If all product placement was like this, I'dsay take me now, you magnificent bastard! pretty much be okay with that.
posted by doctor tough love at 1:52 PM on February 13, 2015
If all product placement was like this, I'd
posted by doctor tough love at 1:52 PM on February 13, 2015
That's exactly why this famous scene from Pulp Fiction worked. Tarantino well-understood that the judicious use of banality can lend a paradoxical realism.
"Several scenes and images from the film achieved iconic status; in 2008, Entertainment Weekly declared, “You’d be hard-pressed, by now, to name a moment from Quentin Tarantino’s film that isn’t iconic.” Even though we can assume that there was no paid product placement in Pulp Fiction, the Royal with Cheese dialogue also became famous. It’s kind of funny to associate brand with men whose job is killing people, but there are only few movie dialogues that include McDonald’s and are interesting for viewers. The scene also showed how McDonalds has evolved in Amsterdam (Americans would never dip their fries in mayonnaise, but the Dutch do).posted by zarq at 1:58 PM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
McDonald’s certainly profited from the movie. A few years ago [an] Israeli ad for McDonald’s McSchwarma spoofed the aforementioned scene. In the ad fake John Travolta tells fake Samuel L. Jackson that the pita bread with turkey meat in it is called a McSchwarma in Israel. The ad ends with a bit of a strange twist – Jules asks “So a guy just walks into a McDonalds and says, “Can I have a McSchwarma please”? And Vincent replies, “Yeah, but they don’t say ‘please’ in Israel.”"
dephlogisticated: "But you need aesthetic sensibilities and technical skill to make it work, which most television directors don't even pretend to have."
But they can also be limited by contractual requirements, like maybe a crushed Pepsi can isn't acceptable because the logo must be unobscured, undistorted, facing the camera, well lit, must be on-screen for X seconds, etc. As mentioned with the Walking Dead, anyone trying to portray a zombie apocalypse is going to at least get the cars dirty unless that isn't contractually permitted.
posted by RobotHero at 2:08 PM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
But they can also be limited by contractual requirements, like maybe a crushed Pepsi can isn't acceptable because the logo must be unobscured, undistorted, facing the camera, well lit, must be on-screen for X seconds, etc. As mentioned with the Walking Dead, anyone trying to portray a zombie apocalypse is going to at least get the cars dirty unless that isn't contractually permitted.
posted by RobotHero at 2:08 PM on February 13, 2015 [1 favorite]
I'm surprised that nobody mentioned Josie and the Pussycats yet, since it's basically the Wayne's World gag stretched out to a feature-length movie.
Even funnier is that none of it was paid placement, which as an aging Gen Xer with unfashionably retro views on "selling out," I find much more admirable than 30 Rock's attempts to have it both ways, to get paid for product placement while toothlessly gumming at the hand that feeds it. As the song goes, you can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding.
posted by Ian A.T. at 2:33 PM on February 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
Even funnier is that none of it was paid placement, which as an aging Gen Xer with unfashionably retro views on "selling out," I find much more admirable than 30 Rock's attempts to have it both ways, to get paid for product placement while toothlessly gumming at the hand that feeds it. As the song goes, you can't shake the devil's hand and say you're only kidding.
posted by Ian A.T. at 2:33 PM on February 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
And if it was something bizarre like Subway or Long John Silver's, that was basically them just kicking the movie out into the cold to die.
The second Hunger Games movie--Catching Fire--didn't have any product placement, but there was a promo thing with Subway. Incredibly, incredibly tone-deaf.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 2:53 PM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
The second Hunger Games movie--Catching Fire--didn't have any product placement, but there was a promo thing with Subway. Incredibly, incredibly tone-deaf.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 2:53 PM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
On one episode of Chuck, they made a point that Chuck had two cars -- an old clunker from his dad and a brand new Toyota Sienna. There was a whole conversation -- Which car should we take? Let's take the Sienna becuase it has a built in media system, heated seats, etc. AND THEN THEY TOOK THE CLUNKER with no explanation.
posted by miyabo at 2:56 PM on February 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
posted by miyabo at 2:56 PM on February 13, 2015 [4 favorites]
Does anyone else remember when Fox told the O.C. that they had to stop showing their characters using white earbuds because it was product placement for Apple and Apple refused to pay for it and then Josh Schwartz threw a shit-fit in several interviews about Fox hampering his realism with their profit motive because obviously trendy pretty teenagers in Orange County would only be using iPods? That is taking up space in my brain that could be storing Shakespeare quotes.
"Just a visible product in a scene's background, without having the camera linger over it. "
The CW actually does a lot of this and they provide extensive stills for fans to reblog and make make-up, costume, and set-dressing people widely available on social media and encourage them to answer specific questions about what products they're using. I follow a tumblr about costuming on reign and the bloggers dig up the origin of EVERY. SINGLE. piece of jewelry that appears on main cast, with links. The shows make-up artists do tutorials every three months or so showing how they make up particular characters. The CW talks a lot about how it's strategy is to provide a multiplatform media experience for its younger demographic and they are reportedly a bit more relaxed about neilson numbers as a result (even for a second-tier network) as their advertising is more comprehensive. It's interesting.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:15 PM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
"Just a visible product in a scene's background, without having the camera linger over it. "
The CW actually does a lot of this and they provide extensive stills for fans to reblog and make make-up, costume, and set-dressing people widely available on social media and encourage them to answer specific questions about what products they're using. I follow a tumblr about costuming on reign and the bloggers dig up the origin of EVERY. SINGLE. piece of jewelry that appears on main cast, with links. The shows make-up artists do tutorials every three months or so showing how they make up particular characters. The CW talks a lot about how it's strategy is to provide a multiplatform media experience for its younger demographic and they are reportedly a bit more relaxed about neilson numbers as a result (even for a second-tier network) as their advertising is more comprehensive. It's interesting.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 7:15 PM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]
“So a guy just walks into a McDonalds and says, “Can I have a McSchwarma please”? And Vincent replies, “Yeah, but they don’t say ‘please’ in Israel.”"
I thought this was a fun commercial, but - I totally don't get "they don't say 'please' in Israel".
But I'll say 'please' here in Texas: can someone please explain the punchline to me?
posted by doctor tough love at 9:51 PM on February 13, 2015
I thought this was a fun commercial, but - I totally don't get "they don't say 'please' in Israel".
But I'll say 'please' here in Texas: can someone please explain the punchline to me?
posted by doctor tough love at 9:51 PM on February 13, 2015
A caricature of Israelis is that they don't spend much effort on minor politeness. Think of it like an ad talking about the wonder that in Brooklyn you can buy a single slice of pizza without waiting for them to bake a whole pie. where the first characters asks "So you just say 'Gimme a slice pepperoni, please'?" and the reply is "Yeah, but they don't say "Please" in Brooklyn."
posted by benito.strauss at 10:03 PM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
posted by benito.strauss at 10:03 PM on February 13, 2015 [2 favorites]
But what I'd like is for an Israeli to explain to me why the whole thing was in English with Hebrew subtitles, including the announcer at the end.
posted by benito.strauss at 10:05 PM on February 13, 2015
posted by benito.strauss at 10:05 PM on February 13, 2015
I used to watch Secret Life of the American Teenager with my roommate's daughter...this is probably the worst example I've ever seen.
posted by BoscosMom at 11:27 PM on February 13, 2015
posted by BoscosMom at 11:27 PM on February 13, 2015
Somehow, I don't think the long walking two shot as the principle characters walk up to a new car is going to go away. They've gotten subtle about it, but lovingly tracking the camera over the Marques and cutting to an interior dash as they explain some plot point is pretty much the only way they can sell high end cars to lumpenviewers these days.
posted by clvrmnky at 4:39 AM on February 14, 2015
posted by clvrmnky at 4:39 AM on February 14, 2015
Then again, without Subway there isn't really the last season of Community. Chuck got cosy with the sandwich, but Community took ad placement to its logical postmodern conclusion.
posted by clvrmnky at 4:41 AM on February 14, 2015
posted by clvrmnky at 4:41 AM on February 14, 2015
Maybe because I'm just not in the target group (I have never owned a car and don't care about them), but I have apparently never noticed these glaring car ads in a lot of the shows mentioned upthread.
posted by ymgve at 5:56 AM on February 14, 2015
posted by ymgve at 5:56 AM on February 14, 2015
Breaking Bad was always doing lingering close-up shots of various objects to create atmosphere during a scene opening. I could easily imagine a hood ornament or crumpled Pepsi can fitting into one of those montages without setting off Advertising Alarms, provided that the object fit meaningfully into the scene.
It's not that hard, mom.
posted by jozxyqk at 8:19 AM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
It's not that hard, mom.
posted by jozxyqk at 8:19 AM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Watching documentaries in the future will have all the logos blurred out.
posted by reiichiroh at 1:37 PM on February 14, 2015
posted by reiichiroh at 1:37 PM on February 14, 2015
Apparently Buddy Garrity on Friday Night Lights owns a car dealership because Peter Berg knew they'd need to get some product placement money from somewhere. It never occurred to me, until I read an interview, that that was the case -- it seemed so natural that a guy like Buddy would own a car dealership. That's integration done well.
Tyra worked at an Applebee's for the same reason.
posted by Georgina at 8:14 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
Tyra worked at an Applebee's for the same reason.
posted by Georgina at 8:14 PM on February 14, 2015 [1 favorite]
My favorite product placement: generic food in Repo Man (end of interview, yes, it was actual product placement).
posted by el io at 12:45 AM on February 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by el io at 12:45 AM on February 15, 2015 [1 favorite]
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They're just moving on to jamming soda cans and car logos into "news" websites.
posted by oneswellfoop at 9:11 AM on February 13, 2015 [3 favorites]