Brands work with movie production houses to include their products or mentions of their products in films as a means to subtly advertise.
\nMovie theaters don’t disrupt your viewing experience to show commercials. That doesn’t mean that you aren’t being reached by advertisers.
\r\nIn fact, one of the most famous instances of in-film advertising happened in the 1980s in a movie called \"E.T.\".
\r\nThe featured product was Reese's Pieces, and the film had a huge impact on the popularity of the candy.
\r\nIt’s worth noting that Reeses Pieces wasn't the first choice of Stephen Spielberg and his team. They wanted to use M&M candies instead but were turned down.
\r\nBrands work with movie production houses to include their products or mentions of their products in films as a means to subtly advertise them to you. In addition to this, many companies also use these opportunities to increase brand awareness.
\r\nWhy bother? Why not stick with traditional advertising methods, or (seemingly) less expensive content marketing efforts. The answer is that the benefits are huge, not just for brands but moviemakers and fans as well.
\r\nRelated Article: Be Consistent: Key Ways To Build Your Brand Online
\r\nIn fact, here are six benefits that come from in-film advertising and branding.
\r\nThe above mentioned Reese's Pieces is a perfect example of this. Combining a hit film with a product that has never quite made its mark can be extremely beneficial to marketing teams who are struggling to find ways to create traction.
\r\nDecades ago, James Bond famously ordered a martini, \"shaken not stirred\". Because of that line, moviegoers associated the martini with wealth, opulence, adventure and bravado. In one of the newest incarnations of the James Bond franchise, the current blond-haired, blue-eyed Bond turns down the offer of his signature and drink and opts for a Heineken instead.
\r\nDoes this mean that the intention was to associate the Heineken brand with that same high-class lifestyle? No, it doesn’t. In this case, it was a strategic way to capitalize on the change in direction for the James Bond character. A beer certainly seems to be a better fit for an edgier and more intense Bond, doesn’t it? It will be interesting to see which of the much-anticipated films of 2016 will use this technique.
\r\nIn-film product placement and branding often results in a mutually beneficial relationship between productions houses and corporations. In the example of Reese's Pieces and \"E.T.\", the Hershey company entered into an agreement with Stephen Spielberg’s production company. They would promote the film in their commercials and on their product packaging. In turn, they would be allowed to place their product in the film.
\r\nRelated Article: Your Personal Branding Strategy is Failing: Here’s Why
\r\nYou’re watching a scene in a movie when for some reason a familiar jingle from a product you know begins playing, or one of the prime characters makes a clever reference to that product. If you catch it, it gives you the sense that you are a bit of an insider, that you are in on the reference. Audiences appreciate that feeling of familiarity and even sentimentality.
\r\nMost movie production companies do not rely solely on ticket sales for revenue generation. Instead, they seek multiple income streams from a single film. This includes merchandising, branding partnerships, and in film advertising and branding. For example, a film might earn 45 million dollars in ticket sales. If the filmmakers have also made an in-film advertising deal with a major brand, they could possibly earn another 25 percent of that over and above ticket revenues. Of course, the specifics of each deal will vary.
\r\nIndependent filmmakers often struggle to get the funding together to launch their filmmaking ventures. In many cases, they are left to cobble together investments from individuals and few organizations that are willing to fund indie film projects. In many cases, even if a film gets made, it never sees the light of day as post-production costs are often too much to overcome. Fortunately, Indie film producers can find new funding opportunities by allowing companies to use product placement and other branding methods in the films they are making.
\r\nYou don’t need to be a major brand to earn a place in a movie for one of your products. Independent filmmakers and student filmmakers are often willing to work with smaller businesses that are willing to help fund their projects. One option you have is to contact a reputable placement agency to see if they can connect you with a fitting film project.
\r\nYou can also look for film projects happening in your area. One way to do this is to look at Craigslist under \"Gigs\" for crew and event ads. These posts often solicit for extras and actors. You can use that contact information to find the film’s website and social media presence, and contact the principles about getting your product placed in the film.
\r\nRelated Article: 7 Ways Your Personal Brand Sucks
\r\nIt is not difficult to find examples of product placement and branding in films. In fact, it would be more challenging to find a movie that doesn’t contain some element of this. In some films, such as “Harold and Kumar go to White Castle”, the placement is quite blatant. Then there are films such as “The Great Gatsby” where more subtle methods were used to enhance the branding efforts of Tiffany & Co. In any case, it is clear that this isn’t going away, and that’s a good thing. Clearly, filmmakers, audiences, and brands are all benefitting from this.
\n","docType":"article","guid":"articles_2bfeb2e725fb5ff395eb40e9d045f5ed","lastModified":"2016-09-14T13:00:00.000Z","published":"2016-09-14T13:00:00.000Z","structuredData":null,"subtitle":null,"template":"v1","title":"Silver Screen Stardom: 6 Benefits of Branding and Product Placement in Films","type":"article","author":{"avatar":null,"bio":null,"name":"Diana Beyer","image":null,"slug":null,"social":{"facebook":"","linkedin":"https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianabeyer","twitter":"https://twitter.com/diana_beyer_","website":"https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011510915491"},"status":"enabled","title":null,"type":"Old BDC Member","user":{"imagePath":"https://staging.business.com/images/undefined","profile":{"company":"Method Marketing","jobTitle":"CEO","website":""}}},"breadcrumbs":null,"channels":{"primary":{"name":"Marketing","slug":"marketing"},"sub":{"name":"Branding","slug":"branding"}},"meta":{"robots":"index, follow","description":"Brands work with movie production houses to include their products or mentions of their products in films as a means to subtly advertise.","title":"Branding and Product Placement in Films - business.com"},"parsedContent":{"toc":[{"id":"1-product-placement-can-make-a-lesser-known-brand-skyrocket","title":"1. Product Placement Can Make a Lesser Known Brand Skyrocket"},{"id":"2-it-can-get-audiences-to-associate-a-product-with-a-certain-lifestyle","title":"2. It Can Get Audiences to Associate a Product With a Certain Lifestyle"},{"id":"3-brands-can-form-a-symbiotic-relationship-with-movie-production-companies","title":"3. Brands Can Form a Symbiotic Relationship With Movie Production Companies"},{"id":"4-it-can-make-audience-members-feel-like-insiders","title":"4. It Can Make Audience Members Feel Like Insiders"},{"id":"5-filmmakers-can-earn-more-money","title":"5. Filmmakers Can Earn More Money"},{"id":"6-indie-filmmakers-can-use-product-placement-to-raise-funds","title":"6. Indie Filmmakers Can Use Product Placement to Raise Funds"},{"id":"getting-your-products-into-film","title":"Getting Your Products Into Film"},{"id":"conclusion","title":"Conclusion"}],"json":[{"component":"p","children":["Brands work with movie production houses to include their products or mentions of their products in films as a means to subtly advertise."]},{"component":"p","children":["Movie theaters don’t disrupt your viewing experience to show commercials. That doesn’t mean that you aren’t being ",{"component":"Link","props":{"href":"https://www.business.com/advertising/industry-specific-advertising-and-marketing/"},"children":["reached by advertisers"]},"."]},{"component":"p","children":["In fact, one of the most famous instances of in-film advertising happened in the 1980s in a movie called \"E.T.\"."]},{"component":"p","children":["The featured product was Reese's Pieces, and the film had a huge impact on the popularity of the candy."]},{"component":"p","children":["It’s worth noting that Reeses Pieces wasn't the first choice of Stephen Spielberg and his team. They wanted to use M&M candies instead but were turned down."]},{"component":"p","children":["Brands work with movie production houses to include their products or mentions of their products in films as a means to subtly advertise them to you. In addition to this, many companies also use these opportunities to increase brand awareness."]},{"component":"p","children":["Why bother? Why not stick with traditional advertising methods, or (seemingly) less expensive content marketing efforts. The answer is that the benefits are huge, not just for brands but moviemakers and fans as well."]},{"component":"p","children":[{"component":"em","children":["Related Article: "]},{"component":"Link","props":{"href":"http://www.business.com/online-marketing/key-ways-to-build-your-brand-online/"},"children":["Be Consistent: Key Ways To Build Your Brand Online"]}]},{"component":"p","children":["In fact, here are six benefits that come from in-film advertising and branding."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"1-product-placement-can-make-a-lesser-known-brand-skyrocket"},"children":["1. Product Placement Can Make a Lesser Known Brand Skyrocket"]},{"component":"p","children":["The above mentioned Reese's Pieces is a perfect example of this. Combining a hit film with a product that has never quite made its mark can be extremely beneficial to marketing teams who are struggling to find ways to create traction."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"2-it-can-get-audiences-to-associate-a-product-with-a-certain-lifestyle"},"children":["2. It Can Get Audiences to Associate a Product With a Certain Lifestyle"]},{"component":"p","children":["Decades ago, James Bond famously ordered a martini, \"shaken not stirred\". Because of that line, moviegoers associated the martini with wealth, opulence, adventure and bravado. In one of the newest incarnations of the James Bond franchise, the current blond-haired, blue-eyed Bond turns down the offer of his signature and drink and opts for a Heineken instead."]},{"component":"p","children":["Does this mean that the intention was to associate the Heineken brand with that same high-class lifestyle? No, it doesn’t. In this case, it was a strategic way to capitalize on the change in direction for the James Bond character. A beer certainly seems to be a better fit for an edgier and more intense Bond, doesn’t it? It will be interesting to see which of the ",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"http://alltopreviews.com/blog/from-superheroes-to-wizardry-9-must-see-movies-for-2016","target":"_blank","rel":"nofollow"},"children":["much-anticipated films of 2016"]}," will use this technique."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"3-brands-can-form-a-symbiotic-relationship-with-movie-production-companies"},"children":["3. Brands Can Form a Symbiotic Relationship With Movie Production Companies"]},{"component":"p","children":["In-film product placement and branding often results in a mutually beneficial relationship between productions houses and corporations. In the example of Reese's Pieces and \"E.T.\", the Hershey company entered into an agreement with Stephen Spielberg’s production company. They would promote the film in their commercials and on their product packaging. In turn, they would be allowed to place their product in the film."]},{"component":"p","children":[{"component":"em","children":["Related Article: "]},{"component":"Link","props":{"href":"http://www.business.com/marketing/your-personal-branding-strategy-is-failing-heres-why/"},"children":["Your Personal Branding Strategy is Failing: Here’s Why"]}]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"4-it-can-make-audience-members-feel-like-insiders"},"children":["4. It Can Make Audience Members Feel Like Insiders"]},{"component":"p","children":["You’re watching a scene in a movie when for some reason a familiar jingle from a product you know begins playing, or one of the prime characters makes a clever reference to that product. If you catch it, it gives you the sense that you are a bit of an insider, that you are in on the reference. Audiences appreciate that feeling of familiarity and even sentimentality."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"5-filmmakers-can-earn-more-money"},"children":["5. Filmmakers Can Earn More Money"]},{"component":"p","children":["Most movie production companies do not rely solely on ticket sales for revenue generation. Instead, they seek multiple income streams from a single film. This includes merchandising, branding partnerships, and in film advertising and branding. For example, a film might earn 45 million dollars in ticket sales. If the filmmakers have also made an in-film advertising deal with a major brand, they could possibly earn another 25 percent of that over and above ticket revenues. Of course, the specifics of each deal will vary."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"6-indie-filmmakers-can-use-product-placement-to-raise-funds"},"children":["6. Indie Filmmakers Can Use Product Placement to Raise Funds"]},{"component":"p","children":["Independent filmmakers often struggle to get the funding together to launch their filmmaking ventures. In many cases, they are left to cobble together investments from individuals and few organizations that are willing to fund indie film projects. In many cases, even if a film gets made, it never sees the light of day as post-production costs are often too much to overcome. Fortunately, Indie film producers can find new funding opportunities by allowing companies to use product placement and other branding methods in the films they are making."]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"getting-your-products-into-film"},"children":["Getting Your Products Into Film"]},{"component":"p","children":["You don’t need to be a major brand to earn a place in a movie for one of your products. Independent filmmakers and student filmmakers are often willing to work with smaller businesses that are willing to help fund their projects. One option you have is to contact a reputable placement agency to see if they can connect you with a fitting film project."]},{"component":"p","children":["You can also look for film projects happening in your area. One way to do this is to look at Craigslist under \"Gigs\" for crew and event ads. These posts often solicit for extras and actors. You can use that contact information to find the film’s website and social media presence, and contact the principles about getting your product placed in the film."]},{"component":"p","children":[{"component":"em","children":["Related Article: "]},{"component":"Link","props":{"href":"http://www.business.com/careers/7-ways-your-personal-brand-sucks/"},"children":["7 Ways Your Personal Brand Sucks"]}]},{"component":"h2","props":{"id":"conclusion"},"children":["Conclusion"]},{"component":"p","children":["It is not difficult to find",{"component":"a","props":{"href":"http://www.hongkiat.com/blog/obvious-product-placement-movies/","target":"_blank","rel":"nofollow"},"children":[" examples of product placement and branding in films"]},". In fact, it would be more challenging to find a movie that doesn’t contain some element of this. In some films, such as “Harold and Kumar go to White Castle”, the placement is quite blatant. Then there are films such as “The Great Gatsby” where more subtle methods were used to enhance the branding efforts of Tiffany & Co. In any case, it is clear that this isn’t going away, and that’s a good thing. Clearly, filmmakers, audiences, and brands are all benefitting from this."]}]},"resource":null,"sponsorship":null,"thumbnail":{"path":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/5d0/1b6147b43740f5a8b456c/1500-0-","caption":"Wedding and lifestyle/Shutterstock","isBlurred":false},"bestPicks":null},"related":{"relatedArticles":[{"title":"Silver Screen Stardom: 6 Benefits of Branding and Product Placement in Films","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/6-benefits-of-branding-and-product-placement-in-films/","slug":"6-benefits-of-branding-and-product-placement-in-films","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/content/5d0/1b6147b43740f5a8b456c/1500-0-","dek":"Brands work with movie production houses to include their products or mentions of their products in films as a means to subtly advertise.","lastModified":"2016-09-14T13:00:00Z","published":"2016-09-14T13:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"A Strong First Impression: 4 Business Naming Strategies to Make Your Brand Standout","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/4-business-naming-strategies-to-make-your-brand-standout/","slug":"4-business-naming-strategies-to-make-your-brand-standout","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/channel/marketing.jpg","dek":"A good business name is hard to beat. See the top business naming strategies to help your brand stand out from the competition.","lastModified":"2016-07-07T17:00:00Z","published":"2016-07-07T17:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"Holiday How-To's: Lessons on Product Placement That Work All Year","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/holiday-how-tos-lessons-on-product-placement-that-work-all-year/","slug":"holiday-how-tos-lessons-on-product-placement-that-work-all-year","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/567/2ec673087b1be2e8b45bc/1500-0-","dek":"The first step in a successful marketing plan is to generate buzz. Smart product placement helps you gain the exposure you need.","lastModified":"2015-12-22T21:00:00Z","published":"2015-12-22T21:00:00Z","sponsored":null},{"title":"A Strong First Impression: 4 Business Naming Strategies to Make Your Brand Standout","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/4-business-naming-strategies-to-make-your-brand-standout/","slug":"4-business-naming-strategies-to-make-your-brand-standout","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/577/bfc662f87b1dc7c5bb5c5/1500-0-","dek":"A good business name is hard to beat. See the top business naming strategies to help your brand stand out from the competition.","lastModified":"2017-02-22T23:53:18Z","published":"2016-07-07T17:00:00Z","sponsored":null},{"title":"The New You: Things to Consider Before You Re-Launch Your Brand","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/things-to-consider-before-you-re-launch-your-brand/","slug":"things-to-consider-before-you-re-launch-your-brand","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/channel/marketing.jpg","dek":"Decide if you really need to rebrand yourself. Learn things to consider before you dedicate the time and money into relaunching your brand.","lastModified":"2016-03-21T13:00:00Z","published":"2016-03-21T13:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"Why Your Business Needs a Strong Online Reputation and How To Build One","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/why-your-business-needs-a-strong-online-reputation-and-how-to-build-one/","slug":"why-your-business-needs-a-strong-online-reputation-and-how-to-build-one","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/570/6ace93187b1a658d7ca7e/1500-0-","dek":"Reputation management is not just a set of activities. It needs to be a part of your broader marketing and branding strategy.","lastModified":"2017-02-22T23:57:23Z","published":"2016-04-08T18:00:00Z","sponsored":null},{"title":"Why Your Business Needs a Strong Online Reputation and How To Build One","canonical":"https://www.business.com/articles/why-your-business-needs-a-strong-online-reputation-and-how-to-build-one/","slug":"why-your-business-needs-a-strong-online-reputation-and-how-to-build-one","thumbnail":"https://www.business.com/images/channel/marketing.jpg","dek":"Reputation management is not just a set of activities. It needs to be a part of your broader marketing and branding strategy.","lastModified":"2016-04-08T18:00:00Z","published":"2016-04-08T18:00:00Z","sponsored":false},{"title":"Effective Branding: 4 Ways To Build a Brand Through Social Media","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/effective-branding-4-ways-to-build-a-brand-through-social-media/","slug":"effective-branding-4-ways-to-build-a-brand-through-social-media","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/571/a340b3187b17216345778/1500-0-","dek":"The age of digital marketing has become a tad bit difficult and building a personal or brand reputation has become more important than ever.","lastModified":"2016-04-22T13:00:00Z","published":"2016-04-22T13:00:00Z","sponsored":null},{"title":"3 Ways Your Brand Can Improve Its Image by Cost-Effective Comparisons","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/3-ways-your-brand-can-improve-its-image-by-cost-effective-comparisons/","slug":"3-ways-your-brand-can-improve-its-image-by-cost-effective-comparisons","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/57d/ad2bf2f87b19666f058eb/1500-0-","dek":"Predicting trends is a big part of business, but for SME’s winning in the short-term is even more important, survival isn't guaranteed.","lastModified":"2016-09-16T15:00:00Z","published":"2016-09-16T15:00:00Z","sponsored":null},{"title":"5 Branding Strategies Small Businesses Can Use from Big Companies","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/5-branding-strategies-any-business-can-use-from-big-companies/","slug":"5-branding-strategies-any-business-can-use-from-big-companies","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/572/3b7be3287b17f1834b483/1500-0-","dek":"Small businesses can learn a ton from bigger businesses, especially when it comes to branding. Check out some of these featured strategies.","lastModified":"2016-05-02T21:00:00Z","published":"2016-05-02T21:00:00Z","sponsored":null},{"title":"The New You: Things to Consider Before You Re-Launch Your Brand","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/things-to-consider-before-you-re-launch-your-brand/","slug":"things-to-consider-before-you-re-launch-your-brand","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/56e/c2eab2f87b1052367daff/1500-0-","dek":"Decide if you really need to rebrand yourself. Learn things to consider before you dedicate the time and money into relaunching your brand.","lastModified":"2017-02-22T23:53:59Z","published":"2016-03-21T13:00:00Z","sponsored":null},{"title":"Creating Your Avatar: 5 Questions You Must Answer About Your Ideal Customer","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/creating-your-avatar-5-questions-you-must-answer-about-your-ideal-customer/","slug":"creating-your-avatar-5-questions-you-must-answer-about-your-ideal-customer","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/content/576/c43de3187b15915b6405b/1500-0-","dek":"Savvy business owners know who their customer is. Answer these 5 important questions and narrow down your target.","lastModified":"2016-06-24T17:00:00Z","published":"2016-06-24T17:00:00Z","sponsored":null}],"relatedReviews":[{"doc_type":"category","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5b99633151ee47a8528b4582/Call_center_bbernard.jpg","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/categories/call-center-services/","title":"The Best Call Center Services for 2021","dek":"Our team has compared the best call center services for 2021. See up-to-date reviews for the top-rated answering services.","slug":"call-center-services","lastModified":"2021-02-26T14:22:00Z"},{"doc_type":"category","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5df7b1b69c658a61728b4567/Answering_Service_scyther5_Getty.jpg","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/categories/best-answering-services/","title":"The Best Answering Services of 2021","dek":"Our teams have compared the best answering services for 2020. See up-to-date reviews and prices for these top-rated services.","slug":"best-answering-services","lastModified":"2021-02-26T14:18:00Z"},{"doc_type":"category","thumbnail":"https://staging.business.com/images/rz/5d4c65367b43741a258b4572/Laptop_Sfio_Cracho.png","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/categories/crm-software/","title":"The Best CRM Software of 2021","dek":"Looking for the best CRM software? We have easy-to-read, expert unbiased reviews and feature comparisons of the best and cheapest programs.","slug":"crm-software","lastModified":"2021-02-24T14:09:00Z"}],"relatedSponsoredArticles":null}},"pageContext":{"displayModified":"2016-09-14T13:00:00.000Z","template":"v1","title":"Silver Screen Stardom: 6 Benefits of Branding and Product Placement in Films","meta":{"robots":"index, follow"},"docType":"articles","slug":"6-benefits-of-branding-and-product-placement-in-films","canonical":"https://staging.business.com/articles/6-benefits-of-branding-and-product-placement-in-films/","skipTOC":false}},"staticQueryHashes":[]}