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Product Placement

#1

Calleja

Calleja

A few hours ago I was watching I, Robot with a friend of mine and as soon as the infamous "classic converse shoes" scene came on she went on on a tirade about the evils of product placement.

Now, I won't sit here and defend I, Robot. We were only even watching it cause she has a huge crush on Will Smith (tip for the guys: if you take a chick to a movie featuring an actor she has the hots for, it's basically pre-foreplay. Specially if said actor spends a long time showing off his body like Smith here.) but I've always thought product placement was not only "not a big deal", but it's actually BETTER than the alternative "brand x" thing.

Follow me here... this girl kept saying how Will Smith suddenly pimping some Converse detracts from the artistic merit of the movie. Again, I won't say that I, Robot specifically has any artistic value, but I don't really agree with her on that for one sole reason... realism. We, the people in real life outside the screen, are INUNDATED by brands from all angles. That's how the world IS.

She said that it's actually jarring and stops the immersion... I've found quite the opposite to be true. When they showcase cola cans that say "COLA" or, I dunno, they play a "Funtendo Zii", THAT'S what I find jarring and non-immersive. It can be handled well, specially for comedic effects, but it's usually a cheap way to try to avoid "product placement" and it just falls flat.

So when a movie has actual brands on it it actually feels more "real". Hey, that Nokia phone she's using is just like the one my neighbor has! Oh, I saw that car the bad guy is driving on Top Gear!

Am I explaining my point here? A great example: A bit, not much, but a bit of the empathy you feel for Chuck Noland comes from the fact that he works for a company we've all heard about, we've all interacted with, FedEx. It's something we all can relate to and can feel more connected to a guy working for something we know well as opposed to having him work for "StateEx" or whatever. It feels more like it's happening "in this world" and not some parallel universe where everyone drinks "COLA" and shops at "Buy More", y'know? It's the same world we know where people drink Pepsi and wear Nikes.

I know that it also means the brand being placed also gets a nice advertisement spot where everyone can see that, HEY, Will Smith uses Converse!! And I know there are some studio heads and even directors that do sell out and just plaster PEPSI all over the movie for no good reason except money. But that's not really the norm, and it's not even THAT jarring when it does happen. Again, we've all suddenly found ourselves completely surrounded by ads, it happens, it's realistic. But detracting from the artistic merit? I don't think so, really.

What do you guys think, though?


#2

MindDetective

MindDetective

My fiancee's not a fan of product placement but I don't mind them, if it is done naturally enough. Mostly for the reasons you've described.


#3



Zumbo Prime

tl;dr version: For the most part, I agree. Seeing movies use their own brands in modern times really changes the immersion when I watch movies. A few recognizable brand names here and there do help.


#4



rabbitgod

I'm with you Calleja.

People don't use 'Product X' they use real products. Like said scene, his character isn't going to use 'X Brand Shoes' with the neat stars on the side. No, he wants Converses. and I've never seen product placement that exceeded real life. I mean really, drive down the street and there's ads everywhere.


#5

AshburnerX

AshburnerX

I've always liked Product Placement in games, when it makes sense. For example, it made a lot of sense to be able to buy Japanese Energy Drinks or visit local store chains in Yakuza because it was supposed to be taking place in a somewhat realistic world. It also made a lot of sense for Aya Brea to be able to find cans of Coca Cola in Parasite Eve 2, as it's EVERYWHERE in America. When Product Placement is handled realistically, it's ether a lot of fun or so subtle that you never notice it.

What ISN'T a good use of Product Placement is when you put up fucking billboards to advertise products blatantly, like in some of the Battlefield games or some racing games. One of the Splinter Cell games had posters advertising brand new America movies in the middle of Africa and on an Oil Rig in the Atlantic. If it detracts from the gameplay, it's gone too far.


#6

Charlie Don't Surf

The Lovely Boehner

My problem with I, Robot was not that he was wearing Converse shoes. It was that he was wearing Vintage/throwback/whatever 2004 (whatever year the movie came out) special edition shoes that went on sale right before the movie came out. It feels annoying when it's super focused on and there are a couple of lines of dialogue about it to draw attention to it. Or like commercial porn shots in movies that would NEVER be there if not for the sponsor bucks.


#7

Baerdog

Baerdog

My problem with I, Robot was not that he was wearing Converse shoes. It was that he was wearing Vintage/throwback/whatever 2004 (whatever year the movie came out) special edition shoes that went on sale right before the movie came out. It feels annoying when it's super focused on and there are a couple of lines of dialogue about it to draw attention to it. Or like commercial porn shots in movies that would NEVER be there if not for the sponsor bucks.
This is the distinction I have. I don't mind when real life products appear in media for pretty much the same reasons above. What I don't like is when the characters will specifically call attention to that product, like how Will Smith specifically promotes his shoes or how the characters in White Collar will sometimes go off on a tangent about the latest cool think in a Ford. If I can tell a scene or dialogue was written just to promote a product, that's what breaks immersion for me.


#8

Charlie Don't Surf

The Lovely Boehner

The best product placement is in 30 Rock. True story.


#9

ElJuski

ElJuski

I have found Dr. Spaceman to be a delight.


#10

Charlie Don't Surf

The Lovely Boehner

I have found Dr. Spaceman to be a delight.
That has nothing to do with product placement. Get out.


#11

ElJuski

ElJuski

I have found Dr. Spaceman to be a delight.
That has nothing to do with product placement. Get out.[/QUOTE]

I hate you.


#12

Charlie Don't Surf

The Lovely Boehner

I have found Dr. Spaceman to be a delight.
That has nothing to do with product placement. Get out.[/QUOTE]

I hate you.[/QUOTE]

weee OOOH WEEEE OOOH THREAD POLICE


#13

Allen who is Quiet

Allen, who is Quiet

It's like...people only do things they get paid for. And that's just sad.



#14

Calleja

Calleja

Hmm.. well, yeah, if they break out and have an informecial moment that'd be jarring as fuck. I didn't find it as offensive on I, robot (not that part, at least) because I've done exactly what he has, being all excited about something I just bought and showing it off. I think we all have, so why can't the character?

But just plain stopping everything and talking about the exciting new features on the Ford does sound iffy. Never watch white collar, check.


#15



Soliloquy

Yeah, I was annoyed at the I, Robot converse thing, too.

Did anyone else roll their eyes at the Motorola Razrs in Born Ultimatum? Because I seriously doubt that a secret government agency would even think of using a Razr.


#16

Calleja

Calleja

Disposable phones? I'd throw a Razr away without second thought.


#17



Philosopher B.

Yeah, when I watched I, Robot, I didn't really think about it, but watching the clip on YouTube, that one line about Converse was pretty damned blatent, though it didn't really bug me at the time. That stuff really drives my brother crazy, though.

The Mountain Dew transformer annoyed me, though.


#18

klew

klew

The best product placement is in 30 Rock. True story.
It's like...people only do things they get paid for. And that's just sad.
I suppose the best way is to get it all out of the way in one scene


#19



Soliloquy

The best product placement is in 30 Rock. True story.
It's like...people only do things they get paid for. And that's just sad.
I suppose the best way is to get it all out of the way in one scene
[*vid snpt*][/QUOTE]

Wow... look at the comments for that video. Apparently it's possible to not understand the joke?


#20

Calleja

Calleja

Only if you think you're the next avril lavigne


#21

Charlie Don't Surf

The Lovely Boehner

Only if you think you're the next avril lavigne
I want to be the next Mr. Avril Lavigne


#22

Calleja

Calleja

I wouldn't MARRY her, but she's one attractive woman, hell yeah. I'd date her for a few months and then sensibly break up with her cause "her music is just too stupid". But it'd be a fun few months!

edit: ooh ooh! and then, when she's on the rebound, you can swoop in and seduce her and eventually get to marry you, Charles. Win-win!


#23

Gusto

Gusto

This thread took a turn for the sinister.


#24

Allen who is Quiet

Allen, who is Quiet

If you were to see Avril with me, you might think she's my one end table. She's actually my one night stand.


#25

Charlie Don't Surf

The Lovely Boehner

If you were to see Avril with me, you might think she's my one end table. She's actually my one night stand.
*snrrrrrrrrrrrk*


#26

ElJuski

ElJuski

You guys wanna see product placement? Watch Josie and the Pussycats. Brilliant movie.

Also fuck yeah Avril Lavigne.

---------- Post added at 05:30 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:27 AM ----------



#27

Calleja

Calleja

...why are Seth Green, Turk and that guy from Road Trip doing......... well, THAT!?

make it stop!!

---------- Post added at 12:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:07 AM ----------

Oh my god!! And Nightcrawler is their manager!! The horror!!

When bad things happen to good actors.


#28

bhamv3

bhamv3

I agree with the people who say natural product placement is fine, but not when the film deliberately calls attention to the product. The Nokia conversation in Transformers annoyed me.

Also, Avril Lavigne = do want.


#29

Silver Jelly

Silver Jelly

I'm a big defender of non-intrusive product placement. The shoes example in I robot is a little too much, and sometimes, when it's so very obvious, it can be distracting... But, in general, I feel like you: real brands add realism to the world on the screen.


#30



Soliloquy

I had a friend... a guy I knew.... some guy in my elementary school wore nothing but nike shit

nike shoes, nike shirt, nike pants, nike watch

the guy whent so far as to have the swoosh shaved into his HEAD.....

ahem...

if you saw a guy like this walking down the street in a move, would it be adding realism?
Some people just aren't realistic.


#31



Chibibar

I had a friend... a guy I knew.... some guy in my elementary school wore nothing but nike shit

nike shoes, nike shirt, nike pants, nike watch

the guy whent so far as to have the swoosh shaved into his HEAD.....

ahem...

if you saw a guy like this walking down the street in a move, would it be adding realism?
heh.. I would go "I hope he get paid for that"

But seriously. I see normal product placement all the time in REAL life. People do talk about their shoes and such. I didn't think the comment about the converse in I, Robot was that distracting.


#32

Bubble181

Bubble181

It also depends on the type of movie.
I mean, in a realistic, modern-day movie, obviously there'll be brands. And whether the character is drinking Pepsi or Coke doesn't matter to me, but he'll be drinking one of those anyway, so might as well make it a brand.
In Star Trek, let alone Lord of the Rings, I'd get bloody annoyed if a character were to say "Man ,I do love me some Apple. Apple is cool, right?".
(Note: Star Trek actually did this for a Nokia -_-)


#33

fade

fade

The problem with I, Robot was that the product placement broke the action of the movie. He actually took time out from the scene to endorse the shoes.

Also, this thread has gone this long without a youtube clip from Return of the Killer Tomatoes?!? And you call yourselves geeks. (Plus I love seeing George Clooney in his finest movie ever.)



#34



Chibibar

fade: why does it break immersion? They are in the future. I think it is normal that a person want to get "vintage" shoes in that period.

edit: also, it adds to his character. Look at his apartment, he is using all kinds of "older tech" because of his distrust of "AI stuff" (not a spoiler)


#35

fade

fade

It doesn't break immersion, it breaks action. Like the infamous infodump. The movie essentially pauses for a moment to talk about the shoes, which is why they stand out so much.


#36



Chibibar

It doesn't break immersion, it breaks action. Like the infamous infodump. The movie essentially pauses for a moment to talk about the shoes, which is why they stand out so much.
funny thing is that, until it was actually mention on this thread. I never thought it broke any action or immersion. I just accepts it that the guy like old shoes. It made me think like that cop in Demolition Man where she spends most of her credits on old fashion contraband. Real people are like that.


#37

ElJuski

ElJuski

At the point when I walk into the movie theatre expecting a movie with will smith fighting robots, I stop caring about the REALITY of the character liking shoes. It's a stupid aside in an action film that isn't necessary except to shell shoes.


#38

Gusto

Gusto

Mission to Mars was apparently really bad for product placement. I saw the movie when I was like 13 so I have no memory of it.


#39

fade

fade

Yet for some reason you feel compelled to buy Coca-Cola and Nikes whenever you see them. That's how good they were...


#40

Fun Size

Fun Size

See, it totally takes me out of the moment. I'm all into the story and all of the sudden someone's all "Wait, I have to stop and enjoy an ice Cold Coca cola. Okay, back to the gang bang."

Product placement has all but ruined mainstream pornography.


#41

ElJuski

ElJuski

...why are Seth Green, Turk and that guy from Road Trip doing......... well, THAT!?

make it stop!!

---------- Post added at 12:10 AM ---------- Previous post was at 12:07 AM ----------

Oh my god!! And Nightcrawler is their manager!! The horror!!

When bad things happen to good actors.
Dude. It's such a good movie. WATCH IT.


#42

Calleja

Calleja

Is that a serious recommendation? Cause i take serious Jooski recommendations seriously, but if that is a sarcastic recommendation then I don't want to take it seriously because that looks like a shitty as fuck movie with boy bands and shit.


#43

ElJuski

ElJuski

The whole movie is a surprisingly amazing critique of shallow pop culture and product placement. You should watch the clip again. The song is called "Back Door Lover".

"DuJour means family." Fucking hilarious.


#44

Calleja

Calleja

Goddamit. Fine! I'm not paying for it, though!


#45



Chazwozel

Zombieland made me crave Twinkies and Code Red Mountain Dew like a motherfucker...


#46

Calleja

Calleja

See? Zombieland is a perfect example. The whole "quest" of one of the main characters is for a twinky. It's random and absurd and hilarious, and then when you find the motivation a bit deep even, but it works cause you KNOW what he's looking for. We've all had twinkies (El Submarino! LMAO... to be fair we DO have twinky-look alikes called submarinos, but we also have actual twinkies). If he had been looking for a "Twatty" cake or something it would just have pulled you out of the empathy.


#47

Fun Size

Fun Size

See? Zombieland is a perfect example. The whole "quest" of one of the main characters is for a twinky. It's random and absurd and hilarious, and then when you find the motivation a bit deep even, but it works cause you KNOW what he's looking for. We've all had twinkies (El Submarino! LMAO... to be fair we DO have twinky-look alikes called submarinos, but we also have actual twinkies). If he had been looking for a "Twatty" cake or something it would just have pulled you out of the empathy.
Well if he had been looking for "Twatty Cake", I'm pretty sure he would not have been looking for something to eat anymore. Taste perhaps, but not eat.


#48

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

There is a fine line that one must walk when it comes to product placement. Here are my rules.

1) Don't over-saturate with products. When a movie simply throws a new product at you every five minutes, it can get rather insulting. For the ultimate example, watch "Mac and Me", the poor man's ET.

2) If you do wish to have products, don't show them off like you are in a commercial. I, Robot was not annoying because Will Smith was wearing Converse, but was annoying because just him putting them on was like a shoe commercial with him tying the laces, nodding with glee and eye raping them because of how awesome they were. Around the point you forget about the shoe commercial-in-a-movie, he has to bring them up again about how awesome his vintage CONVERSE shoes were and how annoyed he was that the robots damaged them.

3) If you just have to draw a huge amount of attention to a certain product, weave it into the main plot as more then just a random product. An example of this being done well is Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle. It was basically a massive White Castle advertisement hidden in a comedy, but because they weaved it into the story rather then having it an aside, it actually worked.


#49

AshburnerX

AshburnerX

Actually, Harold and Kumar didn't start out as a White Castle advertisement... it just so happened that the writers all agreed that it's very definitive taste and it would be a craving that anyone who's eaten at White Castle would understand (as to anyone who found out the hard way that White Castle is a regional place, not a national one, can attest to). It actually worked BECAUSE of the product being advertised, rather than in spite of it. You couldn't have done that movie with a place like McDonalds or KFC.


#50

ElJuski

ElJuski

Uhh, yeah. White Castle is a phenomenon, not a product placement.


#51

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

White Castle is a food chain, it is still a product.


#52

Calleja

Calleja

I'm pretty sure Juski knows that.


#53

AshburnerX

AshburnerX

White Castle is a food chain, it is still a product.
It's also a product that enhanced the media it was in, which was a pretty poor stoner flick otherwise. If it hadn't featured White Castle (or starred two non-white actors in the leads, but that's another topic...) it never would have done as well as it did. I'm fairly certain it stops being product placement what the product is actually more loved than the feature shilling it.


#54

fade

fade

Aw, whatever. It was funny, and it broke the conventions of comedy movies. Christopher Meloni's performance alone was awesome, and it involved neither White Castle nor a non-white actor.


#55

ElJuski

ElJuski

White Castle didn't comission that movie; rather, a bunch of writers remember quite fondly what it's like to hit up a White Castle at 2am. Which is the best time to eat a slider.


#56

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

It's also a product that enhanced the media it was in, which was a pretty poor stoner flick otherwise. If it hadn't featured White Castle (or starred two non-white actors in the leads, but that's another topic...) it never would have done as well as it did. I'm fairly certain it stops being product placement what the product is actually more loved than the feature shilling it.
I don't know. When I saw the movie, I lived in California. Over there we don't even have White Castle. All my friends never even heard of White Castle, and I only knew the name from someone mentioning it in passing. We still all loved the movie regardless of the fact it was White Castle. Whether it would have done better with McDonalds or KFC, I don't know, and really, neither can you.

White Castle didn't comission that movie;
No brand company ever "commissions' a movie, otherwise it would just be a commercial. Product placement happens when a production company goes to another company and basically says "Hey, we want to have you in our movie, what will you give us for promoting you?" The company then does one of a few things. (or all of the things)

A) They send a nice check for having the main character drop that "he wants a coke" while walking up to a coke machine, or pulls out some slick shoes and has to put them on going "Oh yeah".
B) Supplies them with needed items that are required for filming, like how Michael Bay got all 69 with GM so that he could have all his cars he needed for filming Transformers.
C) Supplies them with locations and approvals to film at those locations. For instance, the White Castle in Harold and Kumar.

In the end, it's all about advertising, it is all product placement. The only time you can say product placement never happens in a movie, is if you never talk about, show, or use any actual brand product at any point in the movie. That goes the same for written names, logos, etc...

We were taught in film school to actually set scenes to make sure certain products were not even visible for legal reason, like Coca-Cola can actually get on your ass if they don't approve of you using the coke machine in a movie, and Mercedes even has stipulations that they will not allow one of their cars to be used in a movie crash in which someone dies. All brands need the consent of the company that owns them.

And that is my insider film lesson of the day.


#57

ElJuski

ElJuski

Okay, so White Castle paid for a bunch of it. Doesn't remove the merit of the film as being beyond a PAYCHECK. The movie wasn't made because somebody wanted a PAYCHECK from White Castle. Just because White Castle fronted the cash for the movie doesn't take away from it's integrity as an idea or comedy film.


#58

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Just because White Castle fronted the cash for the movie doesn't take away from it's integrity as an idea or comedy film.
Can you point out where I said it did?

It was basically a massive White Castle advertisement hidden in a comedy, but because they weaved it into the story rather then having it an aside, it actually worked.
Really, I think you got a little defensive. I was praising White Castle and the movie for taking something that could have been seen as a giant advertisement, and made it work despite it. That is what I mean by successfully weaving the product into the story, rather then having it as a quick and pointless aside designed only to get some extra budget money.


#59

Cajungal

Cajungal

If this all started because of this statement:

Uhh, yeah. White Castle is a phenomenon, not a product placement.
...I think it was just meant to be funny.


#60

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

...I think it was just meant to be funny.
Maybe my internet comedy gauge is broken? :p


#61

Cajungal

Cajungal

Hell, I don't know for sure. That's what I thought, anyway, since it was Juski, and he seems to enjoy saying hyperbolic and silly things, sometimes using italics and caps.


#62

ElJuski

ElJuski

Man why you even got to do a thing


#63

Cajungal

Cajungal

...because you're a hot tranny mess?

I never do this right.


#64



Philosopher B.

Zombieland made me crave Twinkies and Code Red Mountain Dew like a motherfucker...
I saw that movie with my brothers and afterwards we actually went to the Acme and got a pack of Twinkies ...

I REGRET NOTHING.


#65

Cajungal

Cajungal

Now I want to try a Twinkie.


#66

ScytheRexx

ScytheRexx

Now I want to try a Twinkie.
Don't do it! Step away from the Twinkie!


#67

Cajungal

Cajungal

It just seems like one of those things I should do. I also want to try Spam--AND I wanna go to the Spam factory, just so I can record how it smells.


#68



Philosopher B.

Yesss. Spongy creamy goodness. I actually only eat them once in a blue moon, but ... it's an enjoyable blue moon. :heart:


#69

Cajungal

Cajungal

Eat a Twinkie

Go to Spam Factory

Stay at the Lizzie Bordon B+B
...Seems like one of those should be crossed off my "weird things to do" list by now.


#70

ElJuski

ElJuski

...because you're a hot tranny mess?

I never do this right.
*writes CG a check for six dollars*


#71

Allen who is Quiet

Allen, who is Quiet

What a cute amount of money for a cute little guy.


#72

Cajungal

Cajungal

^_^ That, "rap music my droogs", and "I'm a cake" are some of my top ones. I love Phillippe and wish he lived in my house.


#73

Calleja

Calleja

Wait... how can you NEVER have tried a Twinkie!? Are you from the past? If so, can you lend me your time machine? I promise I'll give it back after going back in time and making sure Scarlett Johansson is in love with me since she's a little girl.


#74



Chibibar

I want a twinkie thirty-five feet long, weighing approximately six hundred pounds.


#75

Cajungal

Cajungal

Wait... how can you NEVER have tried a Twinkie!? Are you from the past? If so, can you lend me your time machine? I promise I'll give it back after going back in time and making sure Scarlett Johansson is in love with me since she's a little girl.
Well, I wasn't allowed to have snack cakes when I was a kid, so I never really knew what I was missing. I only got curious recently.


#76

Calleja

Calleja

So... no time machine? :cry:


#77

Cajungal

Cajungal

O, no I do have one. And I've met kid Scarlett Johannsen. I fought hard for you man, but she just ran away crying, screaming that boys were icky.


#78



Chibibar

Wait... how can you NEVER have tried a Twinkie!? Are you from the past? If so, can you lend me your time machine? I promise I'll give it back after going back in time and making sure Scarlett Johansson is in love with me since she's a little girl.
Well, I wasn't allowed to have snack cakes when I was a kid, so I never really knew what I was missing. I only got curious recently.[/QUOTE]

heh. IF you don't have a twinkie before you come to Akon :) I'm gonna get you some.


#79

Cajungal

Cajungal

Wait... how can you NEVER have tried a Twinkie!? Are you from the past? If so, can you lend me your time machine? I promise I'll give it back after going back in time and making sure Scarlett Johansson is in love with me since she's a little girl.
Well, I wasn't allowed to have snack cakes when I was a kid, so I never really knew what I was missing. I only got curious recently.[/QUOTE]

heh. IF you don't have a twinkie before you come to Akon :) I'm gonna get you some.[/QUOTE]

YAAAAY. O hey I think I have a costume for the masquerade! :) :) :)


#80

Calleja

Calleja

Goddamn pre-pubescent people!!


#81

Cajungal

Cajungal

I know, how dare a 9-year-old not be attracted to you!


#82

bhamv3

bhamv3

Wait wait wait, Calleja's putting the moves on a nine year old girl?

Why don'cha have a seat over there.


#83



Kitty Sinatra

Wait wait wait, Calleja's putting the moves on a nine year old girl?

Why don'cha have a seat over there beside Iaculus.
;)


#84

Gusto

Gusto

This thread went weird places, unless "product" is the new slang for Calleja's ding-dong.


#85

Fun Size

Fun Size

Memo to self: never request product for my hair in Calleja's presence.


#86

Cajungal

Cajungal

Don't be scared, Fun Size. Protein = shine.


#87

Calleja

Calleja

This forum is obsessed with my semen, I swear to god.


#88



Shadazz



#89

filmfanatic

filmfanatic

For product placement consideration, may I present...The Wizard.



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