Industry Insights: Product Placement...
January 11, 2008 12:47 PM Filed in: INfo &
INsights
Moving into 2008 with all the festive programming and
big blockbuster cinematic releases this time of year,
one could not help but notice that the use of product
placement has become more prevalent. So prevalent
that it could be argued that we have become immune to
it.
In certain cases the products are allocated such
dynamic scene time that would have even made Benny
Hill feel embarrassed by its broadness, what became
of subtlety?
A watershed moment should surely have to be when back in 2001 television studios decided to digitally place products in already syndicated shows. Where does it stop? At this rate we are surely destined to have to endure sights of Orson Wells using his iPhone in a bid to achieve his goal of world domination in a more “intuitive revolutionary user interfaced” manner.
Sickening isn’t it? Or is it? Are we talking about art or entertainment? Are they now mutually exclusive concepts? Is there, in this world of corporate whoredom, such a thing as art for art’s sake?
Maybe, but I’ll leave the last word with Mr. David Lynch; an artist in the purest sense.
Interviewer: “There seems to be a growing trend in Hollywood now where there is a lot of prominent product placement. A partnership between companies and film, the company will put their product prominently in the film and the film will receive budget support as a result of advertising. How do you as a film maker feel about this growing trend?”
David Lynch: “Bullshit, that’s how I feel. Total fucking bullshit.”
- Mohan
A watershed moment should surely have to be when back in 2001 television studios decided to digitally place products in already syndicated shows. Where does it stop? At this rate we are surely destined to have to endure sights of Orson Wells using his iPhone in a bid to achieve his goal of world domination in a more “intuitive revolutionary user interfaced” manner.
Sickening isn’t it? Or is it? Are we talking about art or entertainment? Are they now mutually exclusive concepts? Is there, in this world of corporate whoredom, such a thing as art for art’s sake?
Maybe, but I’ll leave the last word with Mr. David Lynch; an artist in the purest sense.
Interviewer: “There seems to be a growing trend in Hollywood now where there is a lot of prominent product placement. A partnership between companies and film, the company will put their product prominently in the film and the film will receive budget support as a result of advertising. How do you as a film maker feel about this growing trend?”
David Lynch: “Bullshit, that’s how I feel. Total fucking bullshit.”
- Mohan