tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post6963948264443439524..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: The truth about product placement, or "things go bitter with Coke"By Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger29125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-13498036373651244782011-07-11T03:36:37.022-07:002011-07-11T03:36:37.022-07:00Product placement is a great thing. I don't se...Product placement is a great thing. I don't see a reason against it. It adds to the feeling of reality AND could help to remove a lot of commercials from TV.<br /><br />Anyone ever heard "Fibber McGee and Molly" on the radio? In the middle of the show, the Amos-and-Andy-Announcer Harlow Wilcox would enter the "scene" as an actual character and promote Johnsons Wax. Fibber was always annoyed by this, and the way the embedded the commercial INTO the radioplay made it actually funny.<br />I think, TV should be financed as much as possible by PP.Tomnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24253918981748002952010-10-24T17:26:30.886-07:002010-10-24T17:26:30.886-07:00By the way, the scene in Volunteers when you had G...By the way, the scene in Volunteers when you had George Plimpton refuse to bail out Tom Hanks is still one of my favorite comedy scenes of all time. So wonderful. Thank you.Different Jimnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-31167217271077533692010-10-22T18:33:30.761-07:002010-10-22T18:33:30.761-07:00Oh, and when I said "here", I meant in A...Oh, and when I said "here", I meant in Australia.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22060689556793884522010-10-22T17:30:33.526-07:002010-10-22T17:30:33.526-07:00I'm with RJ on this. I especially love this sc...I'm with RJ on this. I especially love this scene, especially as Tom Hanks -- hardly Hollywood's "Mr. Dialect" -- had his semi-blueblood accent on. In that scene, the line comes out as "a little elbow <i>grace</i>..."<br /><br />Man, do I love this film.<br /><br />PS What does it say about me that I didn't/don't consider Lawrence obnoxious? (On 2nd thought, don't tell me.)Joehttp://thejokeblog.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-67647286189404655232010-10-22T10:58:08.822-07:002010-10-22T10:58:08.822-07:00JCDavies: Phone number oversaturation has already ...JCDavies: Phone number oversaturation has already happened. These days, the only phone numbers that the various phone companies guarantee will remain unused are 555-0100 through 555-0199; therefore, that range represents pretty much the only phone numbers currently being used as fakes on TV and in movies.Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17517190353763315342noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-34447467881344279042010-10-22T03:29:09.602-07:002010-10-22T03:29:09.602-07:00Other than college football bowl games, I don'...Other than college football bowl games, I don't think so, Sephim.Paul Ducanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89540523829475157732010-10-22T02:47:44.074-07:002010-10-22T02:47:44.074-07:00I don't think I've ever noticed it here, b...I don't think I've ever noticed it here, but do TV shows with products in their titles (e.g. 'The Mattel and Mars Bar Quick Energy Chocobot Hour' - The Simpsons) still exist?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-49673862917225779102010-10-22T01:31:48.011-07:002010-10-22T01:31:48.011-07:00I just want to say how much I like "Volunteer...I just want to say how much I like "Volunteers"; it's one of the movies where, if I'm flipping around and it's on, I'll always stop to watch it.<br />It's so different from the roles that Tom Hanks usually plays and Rita Wilson was so good and pretty in it.RJ Battleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16471044119182414902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-82468771555757597812010-10-21T23:28:12.734-07:002010-10-21T23:28:12.734-07:00I was going to mention the gag in "...And God...I was going to mention the gag in "...And God Spoke" as the funniest product placement joke of all time. I wasn't going to spoil it, though, even though there's nothing else remotely as funny in the movie. But as long as the gag has already been spoiled, you might as well know the great line that goes with it. Moses, played by Soupy Sales, descends from the mountain with the tablets and the 6-pack and says, "People of Israel: The Lord has given unto me, to give to you, these Ten Commandments, and this refreshing beverage."Bob Clasterhttp://www.bobclaster.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-74003037088344701982010-10-21T21:03:40.797-07:002010-10-21T21:03:40.797-07:00The worst product placement is when its so out of ...The worst product placement is when its so out of touch of the story or characters, that you feel completely disconnected with everything that is going on. It suddenly all feels so fake and you remember Oh yeah, its just a movie/tv and laugh at how ridiculous it is instead of actually believing it and immersing yourself into the story. <br /><br />And what is it all for? money from companies? Are we about to give up keeping the viewer engaged? <br /><br />I love to learn about some examples when product placement has drastically altered some form of media. <br /><br />Great entry!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89270810840991096432010-10-21T21:01:52.670-07:002010-10-21T21:01:52.670-07:00I experienced a taste of this in my last novel. An...I experienced a taste of this in my last novel. An editor wanted me to delete all references to real products or businesses, especially nehative ones. For example, I had my character say he had a 1965 Sunbeam Alpine that was a little sluggish on the hills (all made up by him to initiate a conversation with a mechanic). I convinced the editor that the references were perfectly legit and that many had been used in my previous book, so she relented. But sheesh!Cap'n Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11783977137812876489noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26610202400529686532010-10-21T16:40:49.398-07:002010-10-21T16:40:49.398-07:00In the movie And GOd Spoke, a very funny mockument...In the movie <i>And GOd Spoke</i>, a very funny mockumentary about film makers trying to film the entire Bible on almost no moment whatever (and in which several friends of mine appear), they resort to hilariously-absurd product placement to keep the cameras turning, resulting in Moses (played by Soupy Sales, who is playing himself playing Moses) coming down from the mountain, carrying the tablets with the Ten Commandments in one hand, and a six-pack of - yes - Coca-Cola in the other.<br /><br />[This comment brought to you bay The fine folks at AT&T. Call your Mom today.]<br /><br />[This comment typed on a Dell computer. Dude, you're hacking into a Dell!"]<br /><br />[Promotional Consideration from Spiegal Catalogues. Spiegal: when you care enough to not get off your ass to shop.]<br /><br />[Read more about it in Books. "Books" is a registered trademark of Sony.]D. McEwannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-36974352483670594242010-10-21T16:12:10.770-07:002010-10-21T16:12:10.770-07:00Yvette Nicole Brown was eating from a "LETS&q...Yvette Nicole Brown was eating from a "LETS" potato chip bag last week on "Community". I had to pause it and go back to see - yup, it wasn't LAYS, it was LETS. Which, in a weird way, got me thinking more about LAYS than if she had been eating from a LAYS bag to start with. Hm. Perhaps there's some non-product placement going on by the big product placement companies!Somersbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03171162269200885559noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24955399074470260052010-10-21T15:04:32.008-07:002010-10-21T15:04:32.008-07:00I wonder if some day the world will be so overwhel...I wonder if some day the world will be so overwhelmed with phone numbers that they will have to enlist the 555 prefix.JCDaviesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32246194516827094102010-10-21T13:14:26.372-07:002010-10-21T13:14:26.372-07:00I agree with Larry. The one take really takes me o...I agree with Larry. The one take really takes me out of the moment is the 555 phone prefix.bensonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-24596500260945282432010-10-21T12:53:17.415-07:002010-10-21T12:53:17.415-07:00I saw nothing wrong with Ken's product placeme...I saw nothing wrong with Ken's product placement(s). I'm OK with almost anything unless it wastes valuable dialogue time or takes you out of the show's carefully crafted world. e.g.:<br /><br />Conversation between Nadia and Jack after she comes out of a coma on ALIAS: "I see you finally got a Ford Hybrid" "Electric - good for when you need to be quiet".<br /><br />Conversation between Daisy and Angela on BONES: "Why do you drive a minivan? Do you have kids that we don't know about?"<br /> "I'm an artist, Daisy, and the Sienna has plenty of room."<br /><br />Being told to write pap like this must've been awful for the writers. I hope they at least got compensated by, say, having the network giving them free rein for some other part of the episode.Lou H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/17611461956944372901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43504147448771673842010-10-21T12:13:07.694-07:002010-10-21T12:13:07.694-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.sophomorecritichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14320637485303592977noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-89800958995536665812010-10-21T11:38:43.600-07:002010-10-21T11:38:43.600-07:00Actually Tri-Star was a part of Columbia Pictures ...Actually Tri-Star was a part of Columbia Pictures which was owned by Coca-Cola. Sony later purchased Columbia Pictures from Coca-Cola in 1989 and renamed it Sony Pictures a little later.<br /><br />In regards to the comments about studios being scared to include real products because of trademark infringement, that's not true. The case law is well established that referencing a trademark in a work of art is not trademark infringement. There has been a few cases over "trademark dilution" where a company claimed their product was portrayed negatively in a film - but most of those cases didn't succeed.<br /><br />The real reason TV and movies don't want specific products used if they are not sponsors is because now they either want to get paid for including a product no matter what - or they don't want to piss off other sponsors by showing the products of their competitors. So if Pepsi is running ads during the the commercial breaks on a show - they don't want to have the character drinking Coke.<br /><br />Shawn Ryan, the showrunner for Lie to Me, and one of the co-creators of Terriers (a great show by the way), talked about this on a podcast interview on the "Talklng TV with Ryan and Ryan" podcast. He was complaining about the networks not letting him use real products because they are afraid of alienating other sponsors.rhyshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11106822956424737053noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-2989435631764581802010-10-21T10:44:03.596-07:002010-10-21T10:44:03.596-07:00My favorite perfect product placement is Charmin o...My favorite perfect product placement is Charmin on Survivor. People believably lusting over toilet paper.Hollywoodaholichttp://www.hollywoodaholic.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-77849492550880603612010-10-21T09:34:16.375-07:002010-10-21T09:34:16.375-07:00And yet nobody got upset at the plugs for Jack Dan...And yet nobody got upset at the plugs for Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, and Johnny Walker, brands which are even more specific than Coke (which has become somewhat generic).<br /><br />VW: dooidere. Along with "Truth or Die", a slumber party game that never really caught on.Raymondnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-3395310548355574942010-10-21T09:34:11.975-07:002010-10-21T09:34:11.975-07:00British Airways edited out Richard Branson's c...British Airways edited out Richard Branson's cameo for their in-flight versions of the Bond film Casino Royale. <br />Like you're going to be watching it at 30,000ft and wonder if it's not too late to change your choice of airline?Macnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-4699980987408396562010-10-21T09:33:49.803-07:002010-10-21T09:33:49.803-07:00There's not enough product placement in TV and...There's not enough product placement in TV and movies. People are so afraid of trademark infringement and other legal problems that we end up with these weird worlds where everything seems generic.<br /><br />Every day I see a ton of recognizable trademarks. Not seeing them when someone drinks a beer or eats cereal is like seeing a phone number that begins with 555.Larrynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-23788251215682613122010-10-21T08:18:34.742-07:002010-10-21T08:18:34.742-07:00The most egregious post-production product placeme...The most egregious post-production product placement I've seen is on the Canadian simulcast of Hell's Kitchen.<br />Regularly last season when the contestants were in their dorms arguing about the service that night, a partially eaten submarine sandwich with the lable MR SUB in big red letter was digitally inserted to appear on the tables, as if that's what the cooks were eating on their own time.<br />Of course, Mr Sub doesn't even operate in California where the show is filmed.RockGolfnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-25589267444290546992010-10-21T07:51:13.119-07:002010-10-21T07:51:13.119-07:00An artfully done product placement actually enhanc...An artfully done product placement actually enhances the feel of reality when depicting a public that speaks in terms of brand names without even knowing it. <br />Nothing breaks the feel of reality like hearing a character use a seldom used generic word like "cola" instead of Coke, or a fake brand name.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-7455117216427792502010-10-21T07:20:24.211-07:002010-10-21T07:20:24.211-07:00I just saw the M*A*S*H ep that revolved around a P...I just saw the M*A*S*H ep that revolved around a Polaroid. I thought is was a cool way to underscore the time period.<br /><br />Of course Hawkeye and BJs trying to get someone to steal Charle's tape recorder sounded like a BOSE infomercial but it was funny.<br /><br />edjed.j.https://www.blogger.com/profile/01161554957063651480noreply@blogger.com