A Burger Fit For A Superhero
Posted on May 6, 2008 - Filed Under Random
Product placement works. When it’s done correctly, it can work astoundingly well. I will give you an example. This weekend, I went to see the much-hyped Iron Man movie. It was an excellent film with a good storyline that was extremely well-acted (which is a lot to say for a comic book movie).
The producers did a good job of integrated two brands into the storyline: Audi and Burger King. The integration of Audi was seamless. They featured a sexy new Audi R8, which fit with the main character’s persona so well. It made it seem like it was the type of car that a billionaire would drive, which is exactly what Audi wanted. They also had an Audi mini-van in it with a soccer mom that “brakes” just before hitting a giant robot. I thought that that was a little lame, but maybe it’s because I would much rather related to a fast sexy car than a safe mom-mobile.
And now for the Burger King. The product placement was humorous and delicious. I’m serious. When I saw the main character scarfing down a Whopper after a stint of being held hostage in Afghanistan, I wanted one. So much so, that it panged my stomach for the next 24 hours until I actually went to Burger King to eat one. (It was delicious).
The key to the effective product placement is that it has to be written into the script. The writing provides context for the product to be featured. In other movies, it seems like they just show a gratuitous product shot that does not relate to the story. By having the product actually written into the script, it prevents the brand association from seeming forced. When product placement is done correctly, it can influence even the most wary of consumers. When I was watching the movie, I knew exactly what was happening with the Burger King product placement. But I still got a Whopper.
- Christian
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No spoiler alert?
Thanks for ruining the movie.
Oh yeah, and the good guy wins.