A curious and innovative operation of product Placement is going to involve a whole city… but not just anyone. In the united States lots of people has perceived the rebirth of their capital thanks to Obama’s arrival. Despite his predecessor, the new President loves living his city: he frequently goes out for dinner, goes to the theatres or to see sport events; he has seriously committed himself to revitalize a metropolis which has never been considered so much by the same Americans. Now there is a big project: a movie by 20^th Century Fox is going to promote an undervalued artistic wealth for the community and the movie producers. The movie’s title is “One night at the Museum, the Battle at Smithsonian’s” and the main character will be Ben Stiller, who had already shooted “One night at the Museum” in 2006, where the museum was the one of natural history in New York. In this movie, besides the museums and the Smithsonian (well-known thanks to the serial “Bones”), you can admire a fantastic view of the city (as the Lincoln Memorial for ex.), and this should represent a good incentive from a tourist point of view. The movie will be anticipated by a huge promotional campaign on the main newspapers of the East Coast, with a commercial of 30” on the broadcasts and a series of agreements with the Sponsors of the project. Among these, the United Airlines that, besides being present within the movie, has created a special promotion for the flights to the capital, as well as the Grand Hyatt and other tour operators that have committed themselves to invite and welcome the tourists to celebrate the rebirth of Washington DC. Other amounts of money come from big Companies such as Kraft and other breakfast cereals Producers, that will associate the placement in the movie to a special kit that will be offered to all the tourists coming to visit the capital.

“Soma” is a cool magazine California based, not distributed in Europe and even in the USA it is not so diffused. However it is a magazine that in the last 20 years has inspired all those that are able to realise huge numbers (www.somamagazine.com). “Soma” takes its name from the a market area in the South side of San Francisco, where in the 80s this project was born. The idea was of an editor, Ali Ghanbarian, in love with the bohemian community of artists, musicians, photographers and independent stylists, able and good in reinventing fashion than in following it. Who knows and follows this magazine has learnt that what it is proposed usually becomes “cool” one season later… maybe reinvented to make it more digestible to the great public.

If I were a European Fashion Company, interested in the USA market (or the Canadian, English and Japanese one), I would try to exploit this magazine without any doubt for two purposes: 

1. to offer my products for their shooting;

2. to consider a creative consultancy by their editors; 

The point 1. above all is common and it is called Celebrity Seeding and it has the purpose to offer the product to VIPs or important persons so that they use it in public to make famous and prestigious.

If the dynamic is correct and apt to somebody’s goal please write to paolo@placement-post.com

In the 80s the big Toys Company Hasbro (My Little Pony, Trivial Pursuit, Cranium, and others) had built a pay TV channel, as the recent “Cartoon Network”, “Boomerang” and “Jetix”. The experience lasted a very short time as the sensibility and mentality were completely different… and even because the consumer association wanted everybody to know they disapproved. Once a TV channel (especially if it is pay Tv) was not so strategic for a Toy Company and so it stopped the programmes about the adventures of My Little Pony, J.Joe, Transformers, etc..

A few years later Disney did the same but with a huger economic investment, it proposed a more creative product to the public. For sure the premises were different: Disney was a prestigious producer while Hasbro reached its success with My Little Pony only, one published strip cartoons and international attractions, the other was mainly a producer of party game. However the “ethic” uncertainties that ten years before had helped the Hasbro project to fail were still there, though now they did not appear so much harsh, as no parents committee, consumer association nor parliamentary committee opposed to the Disney project. Nowadays Disney owns numbers of Tv channels all over the world for the happiness of children and parents.

Two weeks ago Hasbro declared to have intention to try again. And got associated to Discovery Communication. Within 2010, the two partners will put on the market a Discovery Kids channel for more than 60 millions of families. The programmes will be produced half by Discovery and half by Hasbro, that in this way will try to renew its brands like My Little Pony, Romper Room and Tonka.

This is not the kind of product placement I prefer and maybe some of the reasons that opposed to the project years ago are still valid. However to let the whole monopoly/privilege just to one “dream producer” is a little bit dangerous, so… welcome such a new scheduling… and even more as the partner is Discovery.

paolo@placement-post.com

Today in Chicago, in one of the most famous marketing agencies, the Upshot, it will be discussed which instruments to employ to better understand the efficacy of marketing strategies. Until now, for example, it has never existed a specific methodology about the efficacy of the investments on product placement.

However, a university teacher and Italian sociologist have developed a method of enquiry apt to product placement reality. If everything is going well, as I believe, in Autumn, the most important period to plan ads, this method will be ready to help marketing strategies in terms of images and investments results, until now quantifiable with difficulty. All those that work in this sector are sure that the results coming out will be astonishing……, for us that work on product placement and all those brands that believe in it.

All the Companies interested in this kind of brand storming to start up with this project please write to paolo@placement-post.com

In 10 days “UP” will get out in 30 American theatres. The new Disney cartoon realised by Pixar in 3D relates the funny story of an old man and a boy scout on a travel towards South America in a house driven by thousands of balloon . The use of the old man’s image and the cartoon logo have been acquired even by Pet&Co (a California base Company that sells healthy pet food) to put them on its main product : the GRRR-NOLA, food integrated with vitamins, amino-acid and free gluten. Even if the reasons for such Tie In have not been revealed, they can be guessed by a second operation done by the Company. It is a competition with a million dollar prize called “Does your dog looks like you ?”. The web site is bowwowmillion.com and it’s sufficient to send one’s own picture with the dog to show the resemblance. Most of the pictures are from children (the target of the Disney cartoon) and from a few researches done to the Pet&Co mangers, there is a clear connection between families with children and families with dogs (or even between old people and pets). Such a simple info has provoked a new strategy: exploitation of the cartoon’s image that, before getting out, has already become famous (it’s the first one with an old man as main character), proposing such a particular and rich competition, particular as the products of the Company.

Regularity of action, winning image and attractive prizes are the magic formula…that always works out….

paolo@placement-post.com

The New York Yankees (maybe the most famous baseball team in the world) has a new stadium. People has talked about it a lot and seems to be appreciate it. The project in fact is reliable as it has considered not only the logistic and confort aspects but even the most updated factors of business among which Product Placement. Since the first match people has perceived it, above all people watched TV at home, when the camera, during the dead times of the match, filmed the sponsor brands for a very long time. New spaces realised ad hoc for the cameras, but even strategic positions very close to the field game, has made this stadium very famous in order to product placement. The Yankees Stadium is the first one thought and built up for this purpose but it’s not absolutely the first. The Americans know very well the “Coca Cola corner” of Red Sox, placed a the limits of the field in a privileged position for the interviews, or the Chicago Stadium where the “homerun wall” is completely dedicated to a sponsor, or the sposnsorised ice at the final game of NHL or the match boards where brands and spots have been present for years. The public’s reactions to these novelties have been contrasting. In 2004 for example, the Spider-Man 2 logos on bases, made people disgust though they accepted the logo on the uniforms (in the USA this is really something new). It is obvious that to evaluate the chances of a product placement operation, it is neccessary to analyse the psychology of the consumers (in this case fans of sport), but above all to consider the mean and potentiality of the image…that in the case of Spider-Man 2has been huge but negative

p.latini@oratorio.biz

New solutions, creative ideas and experimentations are daily on the agenda of the product placement planner. During the last few years, maybe coffee has been the most interesting product placement. In July 2008 during the KVVU Morning Show (the Las Vegas Fox partner network), the two anchormen, smiling and sit at a big desk, were seeping a big Ice Coffee by MacDonald. This happens between 7 and 9am, when most of the Americans drink the most appreciated beverage. Even if the experiment stopped there, the episode has to be underlined as the coffee cup on the desk has a famous precedent which is the David Letterman Show where, since 25 years, a black cup with the Show logo has been staying on the desk of the tremendous showman. The reason why the ads campaign has not gone seems to be due to the interests by MacDonald on other products than the coffee. Recently an intelligent operation of product placement can be heard on the Italian radio station, R101. The speaker, quite later in the afternoon (another perfect moment to take a coffee), admits to relax during the ads break “with a good cup of Hag coffee”. Perfect sense of timing, maximum credibility, relevant advice, great media. It’s right and proper to affirm that the “Radio Placement” has been duly announced as promo so it has to be considered perfectly correct towards its public. It will not be repeated very often however it can be considered a good solution that can give great rendering.

p.latini@oratorio.biz

I have done a little bit of research, I have asked to some colleagues in the States, and I have my personal opinion. Maybe influenced by the passion to put down a list, I have done one, for me as well for the public. It answers to the question: Which have been the most efficacious product placement in the history of movie and TV ? Be careful ! not the most famous but efficacious…. Sometimes these aspects coincide, sometimes no. That’s why I have not inserted the case history of Coca Cola and Pepsi as they are worthwhile a list on their own and it’s practically impossible to determine the efficacy of all their ads projects…. If you think differently please write to p.latini@oratorio.biz

10 Fedex – Cast Away

It’s more a brand integration than a plan of product placement. Fedex lives and moves on the island as well on the Continent as a real character. In the USA the brand has got more confidence and visibility, while in other Countries where it was arriving it has become famous in a very short time. The plot is quite good, Tom Hanks is great and the integration of the brand is more or less justified.

9 The Bubba Gump Shrimp – Forrest Gump

This movie is hugely interesting for the managers of product placement though not for the different placements of Apple ad Dr Pepper. The importance of this project is represented by “The Bubba Gump Shrimp”, the society that Forrest Gump’s friend wanted to build up after the war in Vietnam. When the movie got out, this society did not exist, but considering its success, the production with a few Partners built up “The Bubba Gump Shrimp”. Today it is possible to eat in Tokyo, New York, Los Angeles and in many other places in the world, comfortably sit at “The Buppa Gump Shrimp Restaurant”.

8 Apple – You’ve got mail

The Apple’s placements are so many that the same Company of Cupertino has decided to give an award to the most praiseworthy. I have chosen this movie as the two main actors (once again Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan) are not two classical informatics or fashion victims but two normal persons. An it’s exactly this factor that makes the placement more effective… as to say that Apple is for all…

7 DeLorean DMC 12 – Back to the Future

It’s clear that the cars are the product more easy to place in a movie. Lots of them have had an extraordinary result and have done the story of the cinema and product placement. Choose one is impossible: Aston Martin and 007, Herbie by Disney, Ford Gran Torino in Starsky&Hutch, Dodge Charger in Bo&Luke (general Lee to be more precise) or the Cadillac Limousine in many movies High End….. However Doc’s DeLorean (Doctor Emmet Brown) is maybe something more. Besides the verbal mention, that in most of the movies is absent, this car becomes the medium to do “THE TRAVEL”, through the time… the most unrealizable dream of all humanity.

6 Reese’s Pieces – E.T.

The other man’s big hope or fear is to be not alone. A child and some candies are able to become friend of an alien. For different minutes at the beginning of the movie, the Reese’s Pieces are the point of the story. Small delicious pieces to which nobody can resist, neither an alien. These sweets become the centre of such a special friendship, between two different species and two different planets. It’s difficult to say if it was a planned operation but still nowadays in the USA everbody, even kids, knows that those are the the UFO’s candies.

5 Duracell – Matrix

Matrix is more than a movie and Duracell is more than a pile: it’s a computer generator dream which nobody can resist. When Morpheus explains to Neo what Matrix really is, he does with a metaphor…. the most terrible one. At the bottom we are like robot… we need piles.. and he shows a Duracell on the close-up, like a relic…. No bad for such a small cylinder that until that moment had defeated only bear toys.

4 Rold Gold Pretzel – President W Bush

By sure the most unintentional and tragicomic product placement of the history. On January the 14^th, 2002, the last President of the United States took part to the usual press conference with his face swollen. Without hesitation he explained that the day before, while was watching the football match on TV, he risked to choke with a Pretzel… a small German bread-shape snack. The episode was so serious that the President had lost the senses and fell down bumping his face on the floor. Saved in extremis he reassured everybody that everything was ok. Especially for the Company producer of that snack, which has been multiplying by ten its sell-out and now “to swallow a Rold Gold Pretzel” is a consolidated expression.

3 Manolo – Sex and the City

One of the most influent serial of the last 20 years and a feature success movie have made world-famous a Spanish brand until that moment quite unknown.

Becoming the fashion reference point for all the independent and successful women, Sex and the City has each time proposed different stylists, hairdressers, fashion accessories… while the shoes are always Manolo’s,, and to be honest, they will be Manolo’s even in the second episode that they are shooting these days in the Big Apple for the cinema.

2 Vespa – Vacanze Romane

It’s the same as for the cars: impossible to pick up one…unless the two actors are two Oscar prizes, the location is the eternal city, and the motorcycle is the icon of Italian design, practically the same since the 50’s though always more and more beautiful A little bit like that nice comedy that before catching Rome’s spirit has sketched out the spirit of the Vespa, and of all the Italians by consequence.

1 Elvis – Harley Davidson

It would be more correct to speak of Celebrity Seeding. During the first years of its career, Harley had employed the Rock&Roll King as testimonial on a front page catalogue. It was ok but nothing in comparison to what happened after. The love for motorcycles was not immediate for The Pelvis that, only a few years after, got in love with them. At the beginning he did not have a Harley but other brands. But when he tried one of the best and most expensive Harley, it was love at first sight. It was Harley for all his life and in any moment. His pictures on a Harley were a standard for the magazines. In great numbers even the fines that he took in any corner of the States and nowadays you can see them in his house-museum. Thanks to Elvis’ motorcycles passion years after Harley declared that the ads derived helped the Company to raise up from a disastrous situation in which it was at the half of the 50’s. If this is not efficacy, I do not know what it is !!!

Sometimes it happens that the limitations and restrictions provoke creativity, as it happens in poetry: so fixed and stiff in its metrical phonetic schemes so disruptive and universal in its expressive way. The same rule of poetry has influenced the Hong Kong producers to test new things or to elaborate old things. Its’ the case of ““All’s well End’s well 2009”, that is the most classic of all the holyday’s movie Far East productions, distributed in the Chinese and New Zealand theatres at the end of January, on the New Year’s Feast, that meant the moment of maximum presence at the theatres in a whole year. If it’s true that the spy stories are not allowed, as the action movies, a great paradox as exactly in those places it was born and reached the maximum expression (see Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan), it becomes almost unavoidable to propose innocent though nice, funny, well-done sentimental comedies.

Fourth production, 12 years after the previous “All’s well End’s well 1997”, the story is about a traditional family really concerned about traditions , such as to marry the daughters in a chronological order. This introduces a series of situations and characters a little bit stereotyped though true. It comes out a portrait of a modern Hong Kong, more “western” than others Countries of the West itself, though besieged by the Chinese Government and culture, of which it is an integral part. Thus, luxurious european cabriolets go around with girls wearing their traditional kimonos and young hippies spend their time playing to Happy Online. A comedy that goes through a heavy though unavoidable use of product placement, for objects and products that describe such a strange and controversial society much more than the one when Hong Kong was “made in Hong Kong”. Now that Hong Kong is “made in China”, the light stories, the design objects and the products of quality are really a breath of oxygen and maybe hope too.

p.latini@oratorio.biz

 About a month ago, I gave news about a great “made in Italy” product placement in a very important Warner Bros production (“The Book of Eli”). A great Italian motorcycle, handmade, wonderful, iper-technological and powerful, has become the icon of the movie. Its first set images have got out and I have found one. This is not a very easy thing as usually the material around the movie is quite secret. But in this case, together with the picture, the director of the movie has sent a message of esteem to Ascanio Rodorigo, the dues ex machine of Vyrus, the President of the Company that builds up such wonderful creatures. In particular the motorcycle used in the movie is called Razzetto (being handmade, most of the Vyrus have a proper name) and has being sent from Florida to New Mexico specially for the shooting. The enthusiasm among the cast and the production equipe, provoked by its presence, has raised up the quotation of the Italian brand among those longed for the exclusive golden world of Hollywood. Someone can think this is just an indirect consequence of a product placement activity, on the contrary this is a direct effect of a well-planned strategy, a result which is quite difficult to reach through other marketing actions.

p.latini@oratorio.biz