Just because you don't see a commercial doesn't mean it's not there.

The studios actively insert ads into their films. It's called product placement or "production integration". The concept is simple, the image of the movie's star, Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn whoever, appearing on screen with a product is a powerful image. The captive audience of a movie is rarely thinking that they're seeing an ad while they're watching a movie so their defenses are low.

This advertising is worth a great deal to marketers and the studios as well. There are people and or organizations who are employed by the studios to actually go through scripts and locate possible areas where product placement deals can be found.

Some argue that the inclusion of products in films simply make the movies more realistic and sometimes this is the case. Other times, like in Fight Club (see above) products are inserted in a cynical fashion - Fight Club makes very sharp jabs at the commercial culture and product placement. In most cases when you see a product's logo and/or the actors refer to the product by name (even a movie's title) this is an intended and contracted action to promote the product.

Don't believe me. Check out this link showing Sylvester Stallone's contract promising to smoke a particular brand of cigarettes in his films (for more info on tobacco company's influence in Hollywood go to Legacy Tobacco Documents Library).

You are constantly being marketed to whether you recognize it or not. Keep an eye out for logos, scenes taking place in specific restaurants, or using specific services. When they appear, you're probably enjoying a commercial.

For more on product placement check out the videos over at Brandhype.

Labels: miscellaneous, movie watching tip