Hey y'all. Ronnie Ronalds here. The ol' Ronster has been trying desperately to lose the 15 lbs. I gained over the holidays. But I just can't seem to get it done. Every time I put a movie into the DVD player, I wind up getting the munchies. For a while, I thought I just had bad eating habits. But then I started noticing that the crap I was eating was usually the exact same stuff they were eating in the movie. At first I thought this was some sort of eerie coincidence, but soon I realized that I had been a victim of product placement. You know, these companies fork over the big bucks to have their products in a film. Let me assure you, it's money well spent. Here's a look at some of my favorite examples of product placement.
E.T.
You can't even talk about product placement without talking about E.T. The pinheads who make M&Ms; turned down an offer to put their candy in this flick. When they did so, Reese stepped up to the plate with Reese's Pieces. Next thing you know, Reese is selling its product off the shelves. I don't know how many of you reading this are old enough to remember, but this wasn't just a surge in sales, but an all-out phenomenon. Of course, I hate Reese's Pieces, but I can't help but go through a half-pound bag while watching this flick.
Demolition Man
Demolition Man is a horrible movie, and not just because Sly Stallone and Wesley Snipes seem to be competing to see who can suck hardest. No, this film will be remembered for two things. First, for thrusting Sandra Bullock into the spotlight. Second, for the most blatant advertising in recent memory. If you recall, in the futuristic society of Demolition Man, the only restaurants are Taco Bell. This gave the set designers ample opportunity to display the Bell's logo every time Sly stepped out into the city. Actually, this concept isn't so farfetched. In parts of Arkansas, Taco Bell is the only restaurant for miles.
AntiTrust
I've seen every movie that's out in theaters now (some twice), and that includes AntiTrust. This movie is a total dog, but it's got some pretty blatant advertising. Ironically, the worst offense comes from Tim Robbins, Mr. Liberal himself. I guess when you gotta pay the bills, you'll shill for any ol' company... in this case, Pringles. Robbins shoves Pringles into his mouth 10 at a time in this one, always making sure to keep the label facing the camera.
Days of Thunder
For most of the 1980s, the Coca-Cola Company tried in vain to turn its Mountain Dew clone, Mellow Yellow, into a big seller. Nothing it tried worked. Then, in a last ditch effort to sell the urine-colored soda, it ditched the yellow cans and snipped the W's off the drink's name. At the same time, it splattered the new logo all over Tom Cruise's car in Days of Thunder. It was the kind of marketing blitz that ad execs dream about... and it crashed into the wall in a fiery blaze. Maybe if we're lucky, Coke's new drink, Surge, will try a product placement with Stallone's racecar movie, Driven.
The Coneheads
This is an awful movie. And it's made all the more awful by the blatant product placement of Subway sandwiches. The Coneheads, who have talked about consuming "mass quantities" since they debuted on SNL in 1976, discover Subway's footlong subs... then proceed to eat them repeatedly throughout the movie. Although this movie cost $20 million to make and made only $21 million at the box office, Subway reported the highest sales increase in its history during the six weeks this film was in theaters.
Bye Bye, Love
I bet you haven't seen this movie. And why would you? It's about 40-something men dealing with post-divorce stress. It could have been called The First Husbands Club. It stars Paul Reiser, Randy Quaid and Matthew Modine as three buds who have weekend custody of the kids. McDonalds is the benefactor this time, as about half the film takes place in a Mickey D's. In fact, this movie is one big ad for the burger chain.
Back to the Future
Pepsi paid out primo bucks for frequent mentions and appearances in all three Back to the Future films. While the segments in the future feature giant Pepsi logos, perhaps the most blatant ad comes when Marty McFly, transported back to the '50s, asks a waiter for a "Pepsi Free." Audiences can now watch this scene with the same sense of bewilderment as the guy behind the counter, because Pepsi's failed Pepsi Free disappeared faster than Pepsi Clear.
The Making of "...And God Spoke"
This hit-and-miss comedy tackles the issue of product placement head on. The movie is about the making of a religious film. When the production company runs out of money, it decides to create some cash flow via product placement. Thus when Soupy Sales, as Moses, descends the mountain... he's not only carrying the 10 Commandments, but a six-pack of Coca-Cola. This is officially the only funny (ok, semi-funny) film Soupy Sales has ever made. Now if you'll excuse me, I just watched Mission to Mars, and I gotta go dig up some Dr. Pepper.
- Ronnie Ronalds
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