Today we’re going to talk about another completely related topic to Advertising, Product Integration!! Now while that may sound just as boring as synergy or one of those other corporate words, product integration may be the future of advertising and it’s starting off with television and movies. Of course, it’s been around for ages, with cigarette, beverage and car companies all vying to have their products on the big screen, but it’s been getting more and more necessary as people don’t watch advertisements as much, due to online and pirated options for films and shows.
You may not notice it at first, but advertisers are now subtly implanting messages in the media. Let’s take the big summer blockbusters for example. Brüno obviously had a deal with the company behind Smart Cars (those tiny tiny cars), and Dolce and Gabbana (the fashion group), both of these companies got lots of publicity, the latter getting (arguably) the best line of the movie; “Dolce and Gabbana, Hellloooooo?!” Of course there is Transformers 2: Rise of the Fallen and its multitude of GM cars. While blatantly obvious, you know that after you watched that action-packed Michael Bay production, you were considering buying a yellow Camaro, or silver Pontiac and hoping it’d turn into a alien robot. Even Ryan Reynold’s romantic comedy The Proposalhad plenty of integration; leading the pack was Apple with one of its computers in pretty much every scene that could use one. The Hangover, the comedy surprise of the early summer, had that gorgeous Mercedes accidentally become a convertible permanently. Not to mention the usage locations like Caesar’s Palace, MGM Grand and Trump Hotel. The Man With No Name’s Gran Torino, helped show off Ford’s gorgeous car, as well as drinking loads of Tsingtao beer.
NBC has been more prominently using the strategy in effort to earn extra money and even in some cases keep the show alive. 30 Rock has been a national phenomenon with Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey having fun at The Rock, and made fun of obvious product placement with Verizon Wireless, Snapple, Bee Movie and loads more.
The Office consistently talks about archrival Staples, and even uses some of their office supplies in the show for some reason (like the shredder).
My personal favorite is Chuck, and Subway! One of my favorite series of all time is Chuck Bartowski slacking off at the Buy More. However, nearing the end of season 2, NBC didn’t renew it for a third season. After blatant product integration with Subway, fans decided to prove to NBC that it was worth keeping, and convinced fans to go to Subway on the day of the season finale. Even cast members were seen supporting the “Save Chuck” campaign. Subway reveled in the free publicity, appreciated the actual financial success, and renewed a contract with NBC to keep Chuck going. This is one fo the few TV shows that actually has been saved by fans, and I’m proud to be one of the people who ordered the Chicken Terriyaki $5 footlong sandwich that day.
Tell me that you don’t want to go out and buy that sandwich right now? I’ve got lunch in front of me and I still want to…
mmmmm ads…
I only have one rule on product placements. If it’s done tastefully, it’s fine. Creative people should be able to insert plug-ins almost seamlessly, as if it were part of the story. In the Casino Royale movie, I remember something that I found was distasteful (although the entire movie is amazing). Did the gorgeous Eva Green say how what kind of man he was, the kind of guy who wears Omega watches? If so, that’s too blatant for me. A camera pan on his watch is good, talking about it and not in the context of the story is in poor taste. Talking about the ads here are in proper context but if you’re writing, say, an article on the recent solar eclipse seen in China and in the middle of your story–you say, watch the time of the solar eclipse with your Omega watch– would you say that’s good?… I enjoyed reading the piece, though.