Let’s face it: product placement is everywhere. Subtle to not-so-subtle advertisements wheedle their way into TV shows and movies so often that these days we barely blink at them. Then again, sometimes it’s just too glaring to ignore.
We may be streaming lifetime movies on Netflix or watching the newest blockbuster on the big screen when we encounter these product placement crimes. Even some of our most beloved films commit them. The following list details some of the most shameful product placements in our favorite movies:
1. Captain America Civil War– Audi (2016)
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When Marvel released an Audi ad spliced with scenes of the Captain and Black Panther chasing Bucky through congested traffic to its Youtube page, many fans felt frustrated by the obvious sell-out. The association between Audi and the film didn’t end there for fans; watching the real chase sequence without seeing Audis everywhere is pretty difficult once the ad is seared into your brain.
2. E.T.– Reeses Pieces (1982)
Every kid that grew up in the late-70s to early-90s remembers the trail of Reeses Pieces Elliot left for E.T. to follow him home. Most of those kids watching the film as adults surely see the product placement. Apparently, Steven Spielberg wanted to use the more popular M&Ms for the movie, but Mars turned him down. The smart folks at Hersey agreed to show the Reeses Pieces, and boy did they profit– reportedly, their profits rose 65% in 1983.
3. The Italian Job– BMW (2003)
For this remake of the 1969 heist movie, BMW reportedly donated over 30 cars. The conspicuous and somewhat illogical use of BMW Mini Coopers in The Italian Job for chase sequences (leading car aficionados to say, “A chase sequence? With Mini Coopers???”) made the cars characters in the film in their own right. Its product placement worked so well that sales increased a whopping 22%the next year.
4. The Thomas Crown Affair– Pepsi One (1999)
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Here’s an example of when despite best efforts, even blatant product placement can’t save a commodity. At one point in the film, when Renee Russo as Catherine Banning finally makes a breakthrough in her case, she inexplicably, feverishly chugs a Pepsi One. No one knows why. At any rate, the scene didn’t save the one-calorie Pepsi One, which was discontinued in 2014.
5. You’ve Got Mail– Starbucks, AOL (1998)
Ah, You’ve Got Mail. This 1998 film taught us that love can be found in unexpected places– and so can in-your-face advertisements for AOL and Starbucks. The static of dial-up and familiar greeting, “You’ve got mail!” occur in at least half the scenes. Heck, it’s even in the title of the movie! Add to that a soliloquy by Tom Hanks “teaching” us how to order at Starbucks, and you’ve got a match made in product placement heaven.
6. Risky Business– Ray Bans (1983)
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Before Tom Cruise slid around his parents’ house in his underwear and sunglasses, epitomizing cool in the eighties, Ray-Ban’s Wayfarers were on the chopping block. Ray-Bans had hired Unique, a product placement firm, about two years earlier, and Unique pushed the Wayfarers into Risky Business as well as other films. 360,000 pairs of the sunglasses sold that year, with even celebrities rushing to buy them up.
7. The Wizard– Nintendo (1989)
Okay, maybe this movie isn’t exactly a classic or a favorite, but it deserves a spot on the list for just how conspicuous the advertising becomes. Fred Savage travels with his disabled brother, who happens to be a Nintendo whiz, across the country to win a video game tournament at Universal Studios. Hijinks abound, and so do effectively two hours of Nintendo screen time, showing off the Nintendo Power Glove, Nintendo Game Hint Line, the Nintendo Power Hint Line, and ultimately Super Mario Bros 3.
8. Blade Runner– Coca-Cola, Atari, Pan-Am (1982)
The iconic sci-fi flick creates a dystopian society and a wild urban environment that incorporates ads everywhere. Blade Runner not only features Coca-Cola prominently, but also now-defunct businesses like Pan-Am and Atari. Some say there was a curse on the companies who displayed prominently in the film. Despite this, Coca-Cola still seems to be going strong.
9. Sully–Mariott Hotels (2016)
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Sully, the Clint Eastwood/Tom Hanks vehicle about the “Miracle on the Hudson”, did well critically and commercially. However, one element that didn’t jive with audiences was the overt placement of Marriott Hotels in the movie. Five scenes open with shots of various brands of the hotel.
10. Ghostbusters– Twinkie, Stay Puft Marshmallows (1984)
With hilarious actors, a crazy premise, and heaps of ghost slime, Ghostbusters delivered classic comedy for the masses. It also brought with it many opportunities for product placement. Who could forget Dan Akroyd’s musings about Twinkie? Then there’s the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man… Though it’s unclear how much the possessed marshmallow monster increased profits for the company, the extended screen time couldn’t have hurt.
While these cases of product placement vary in levels of boldness, the fact is that all of these filmmakers sold out at least a little, and some of these advertisers benefited hugely. Despite our occasional bafflement, maybe we can find comfort in the fact that without these ads, our favorite movies may not exist.
