On October the 15th in Stuttgard, in Germany, there was the seventh international conference on Product Placement. As curiosity, there was just one American speaker (and we are speaking about the prophets of this instrument), his name is Frank Zazza, a friend of our blog that sometimes quotes and mentions us, but above all he is the CEO of ITVX, the portal that “measures the evolutions of Product Placement”. His subject was “the Branded Entertainment during the crisi time”. Before him a professor from Sorbonne (jean-Marc lehu) spoke about the strategies of product placement from the point of view of France (we have already spoken about in another blog), then a manager by mediaplus talked about the dynamic that has taken Product Placement to become “Brand Entertainment” and this I am sure was one of the most interesting speech as it will open a new season for Product Placement, giving it dignity and prizes. The conference was closed by two participations about the integration between product placement and digital medias and above all the most impressive speech by the lawyer Stephan Leitgeb about the European rules on the regulation and implications of Product Placement within any national legislation. And from here on we will know if and how long the future of this resource will be within the European cinema. If the answer was be negative Hollywood and Bollywood would be very happy to welcome the refugees!
During the summer it was drunk on the set of “Sex and the City2” and it has become one of the most famous product placement of this production. One of the most required of this season to tell you the truth, as set in New York (Europe loves it so much), as it speaks about one of the most exclusive circles in the world and because, as happened in the past, it can help some brands to become really famous (Manolo for inst., of which we have already spoken about). But the examples of Bellini’s product placement are so known and well-spread that maybe the two stories can be just one. I suggest you to visit the web site of Canella, the wine Producer that has commercialised the delicate cocktail made by Cipriani. Click on “friends” and what appears will leave you speechless. About 60 seedings from the 50’s until nowadays that are unbelievable. Characters such as Ennio Morricone, Robert Altman, Gianni Morandi, Giuseppe Tornatore, Ferzan Ozpetec, Tinto Brass, Alessandro Bergonzoni, Massimo Cacciari, the King of Benin, Macario, Nicola Arigliano; all famous people very far from the ads considerations, that for some reasons have said yes. And exactly for this reason they have contributed to the credibility of this product that has entered the story as it has done the story.
For a couple of seasons (2006-2007) a Canadien sit-com got distinguished for an important use of product placement. The Jane Show followed the life of a would-be writer that had accepted to work in a big Company while waiting to find out an editor to publish her stories. Realised with a modest budget, well acted, well produced, it has not been able to go on with this project. And it’s really a pity as the marriage with important brands seemed to be perfect. In particular the one with Dyson, the famous vacuum cleaner brand that for first produced models without sack and water filter and many others innovative solutions. During the two seasons of the soap, its presence was more or less constant with lots of “verbal mention” and “hands on” managed with irony and balance. Part of this well-succeeded placement has to be attributed to the Canadian Agency that followed the Client’s interest. In the same period in fact, the most important models were present even in other programmes on shopping such as “The shopping bags” e “Dotto Tech”. A medium planning through product placement chosen by one of the most important Companies in the world to propose itself on the great Canadian market. Even if only two years have passed, nowadays it would be difficult to repeat the experiment without being defined as super exposure by an attentive public. However there is still a small place where evrything can happen, where the action freedom that the Canadian movie district had before (not so ruled as the American one) is wider in terms of experimentation and openness: it’s the serial web, wonderful as the best has still to come.
The episode happended three years ago and since then it has become a sort of master (an example) for all those that get involve in product placement.
In the video I have connected two different scenes that help to better understand the importance of such a verbal mention. We have to say at first that it is not clear if and how much all it was planned. By sure the follow up has been, if not planned, at least capitalised positively. Here the facts: during a morning talk-show, danny Devito confessed to be a little bit dazed for the “Limocello” drunk the past night with a friend (george Clooney). No less than 7 limoncellis each, he said smiling ! The reactions at his words went on for days, from the gossip to the movie magazines, from the wine and food to the marketing blogs to radio and TV shows. At least until the very lucky producer of that limoncello decided to recruit that actor as his testimonial, a very very reliable testimonial. During a crowdy press conference, organised by the two to make ads as well as to hush up all the comments about the precedent episode, the aim obtained was exactly the contrary they expected: lots of ironic and beyond control videos on youtube (the second part here above).
Four days ago an American colleague to explain in a few words the concept of shameless though winning verbal mention, used the the expression “danny devito’s lemoncello”. At that point I realised how deep it was gone that kind of product placement. It was become a typical American expression.
Everything began last week with an article by The New York Time. Uncorrect… everything started with a soap opera produced in new York in Spanish language for the big Hispanic community called “Más Sabe el Diablo” (“The Devil Knows Best”). Started in May, it has been having much more success than what was expected maybe because it tells the story set in the urban slums, of the hard and tough life of a young widow , Perla Béltran, that has been trying to get out from such a dissifuclt situatuion through her work at the census Bureau. With the excuse to visit her neighbourhood, the different stories come along with a violent and gloomy portrait. But the real character of the serial, everybody has noted this, is “The United States Census Bureau”, a real office that in 2010 will get to an end with its new census. Product placement was not agreed upon but we can bet the census officers can be very happy about it. The spokesperson of the bureau, patricia Gaitan, has definied product placement as the perfect way to promote their services (ofteen considered with suspect) and involves so many persons that she has decided to call it “people placement”. However two days ago a professional blogger, “Wayne Friedman”, has put two questions: what could have happended if “Friends” instead of meeting at the Central Perk cafè would have met at Starbuck’s? And how much rumour would have done Ugly betty working for Vogue instead of Moods? The list goes on but maybe the one about citations is still longer:
The Smithsonian in “Bones”, “Fedex” in Cast Away, Cats in “Harry meets Sally” or the Magnolia Bakery in Sex and the City… It is not so easy to distinguish the planned product placement from the one chosen freely, because this is the nature of TV and cinema, but above all this is the real strenght of product placement.
Just about yesterday the timetable of the first shooting scenes of the most important features film have arrived, from October until the beginning of 2010. There are some interesting, quite strange, things (Hollywood never dares to do something really experimental as it has to guarantee success and a universal public). “Black Swan”, with Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis for example, is set in the classical dance world in New York ( it was since 80s that Hollywood has stopped interesting to this kind of movie) and the story is the most loved: the competition between a dance veteran and a new, young rival. Then there is “Burlesque”, though there has been quite a similar previous one, with a famous couple such as Christina Aguilera – Cher… guaranteed success. And then “Segretariat”, Penny Chenery’s biography (with Diane Lane), owner of the great thoroughbred horse that in 1973 won the Triple Crown with a record still mantained nowadays. Brief note of made in Italy: Segretariat was the son of Nearco, the Italian throughbred horse considered the strongest racing horse of all times. But as the most interesting things come at last, this privilege is up to “Facebook Project”. Justin Timberlake, Sean Parker and Jesse Eisenberg directed by David Fincher to tell the story of the birth of the most important and famous Social Network in the world, that has been able to change the life of millions of people. And this is the best news of the moment… somebody that can tell the story before its ending… but that’s not all…
A few months to the beginning of the shoting of “Blink”: drew on Malcom Gladwell’s famous book, directed by Stephen Gaghan (“Syriana”, “Abandon” and above all an Oscar with “Traffic”). The main character, we already know, is Al Pacino and the location is set in New York.
Thinking about a good placement I would say nice and elegant clothes and luxurious accessories for Al Pacino, a rich and cynical businessman, while something more informal and fashion for his son, idealist and talented genius. The set could be a typical medium flat in New York, despite a few scenes in the prestigious villa of the father in Connecticut. Thus prestigious electrical appliances, home furniture, and even wine and alcohol. Eight weeks to the first ciak are not so many but last Friday I talked to the Production and there are still a few chances… people love the made in Italy, Al Pacino maintains a few traces of his origins and New York is maybe the town that most loves Italian Way of Life in the world…. by the way: what do you think of the many foreign brands with Italian names created to imitate them ? (es.:Rioni Moda Italia).?
There are some brands that have not been making ads for years (someone has never done), neither the one “below the line”, even if everybody talk about it, have a good fame and are in good health. Lots of examples can be done, however the most incredible is Ferrari. Despites a few gadgets and some clothing Company licensing, its only care is to win the F1 Championship. The reason is obvious: an incredible media visibility. But even a huge reputation ursupassed even by the most innovative ads campaign. An all this without paying nothing in terms of ads. To be competitive in F1 costs a lot, but the brand awareness is guaranteed if some months ago the Team has threatened to leave in case the investments on the cars would have been contained.
Technically all the promotion of Ferrari brand depends on product placement. Something similar is happening with Vespa (I talked in one of my last posts) and Benetton. At last the most recognizable made in Italy brands have dedicated all or nearly all their promotional resources to this instrument. Other important brands are shyly testing its efficacy. On the contrary most of the medium and big Companies have disappeared: with a small investment they could obtain incredible profits (and this would be an important moment to get them). I am almost certain that this is due to mistrust and lack of knowledge. Here’s my message…. WAKE UP !!!!
