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Avatar List added by Prelude on 19 March 2008 11:29

Hall of Shame: Product Placement

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People who added this item 1574  Average listal rating (1122 ratings) 6.8  IMDB Rating 7.4 
1. Cast Away (2000)
One of the most guilty shameful examples of Product Placement. It's basically a 2 hr FedEx movie, with co-sponsor Wilson. Its still a great movie, but man, the FedEx stuff was way overdone. Shame on you, Tom Hanks.

Funny Commercial:
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People who added this item 1025  Average listal rating (691 ratings) 6.6  IMDB Rating 7.1 
2. I Am Legend (2007)
At the beginning, I didn't realize the movie started - I thought I was watching a commercial for the shiny new Ford Mustang. Yes, 3 years after end of the world, the only cars that work are Fords. This product placement was heavily visible in the movie trailer as well. And of course, all computers are Macs, naturally.

Don't believe me? Check out this Ford poster:
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People who added this item 1094  Average listal rating (702 ratings) 5.8  IMDB Rating 6.2 
3. You've Got Mail (1998)
I'm surprised Tom Hanks doesnt just tatoo corporate logos on his forehead for all his future films. He's the biggest offender by a mile, as this AOL infomercial for their online dating service has shown. And StarBucks is the icing on his double latte frappuccino.

See if you can spot the product placement:
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People who added this item 447  Average listal rating (288 ratings) 6.3  IMDB Rating 7.2 
4. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)
Wow, how much does this sort of Product Placement cost? They managed to get their name into the title and make the entire plot of this comedy revolve around two stoners on a quest to find a White Castle, because, simply no other burger would do.
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People who added this item 1723  Average listal rating (1171 ratings) 5.9  IMDB Rating 5.6 
5. Men in Black II (2002)
One of the worst offenders of multiple product placements, all clearly visible, all obviously placed. Seems like Will Smith and movie ads go hand in hand. See the YouTube Video.
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People who added this item 466  Average listal rating (323 ratings) 6  IMDB Rating 6.4 
6. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006)
Although it was done for comic effect as well as make it a more effective parody of a sponsor-infested NASCAR race, the over-useage of some of the products, including a first ever full commercial shown inside of a movie, was excessive.
and many others
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People who added this item 1255  Average listal rating (857 ratings) 6.3  IMDB Rating 6.9 
7. The Island (2005)
This sci-fi thriller was heavily criticized for all its strong product placements, including cars, bottled water, credit cards, beer, ice cream, and a very prominent and annoying MSN Search engine advertisement.
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People who added this item 1022  Average listal rating (691 ratings) 6.2  IMDB Rating 6.5 
8. Top Gun (1986)
After this blockbuster hit the screens in 1986, sales of bomber jackets went up drastically, Ray-Ban sunglasses were up almost 40%, and it boosted so much interest for the Air Force and Navy that recruiting booths were setup at certain theaters to lure enthusiastic patrons.
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People who added this item 1186  Average listal rating (784 ratings) 7  IMDB Rating 7.4 
9. Transformers (2007)
It's well known that Michael Bay is a GM-sponsored director, but this film takes the cake. He took our beloved VW, Porches, Lancia, Nissan, Lamborghini, and Jeep characters from the original and turned them all into GM models. Just waiting for the eventual mass-recall to occur.
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People who added this item 77  Average listal rating (54 ratings) 5.6  IMDB Rating 5.6 
10. The Wizard (1989)
Sponsored by Nintendo, specifically to fuel sales of its recently-released Super mario Bros. 3. A copy of Nintendo Power magazine was even distributed in most theater viewings.

People who added this item 2297  Average listal rating (1599 ratings) 7.1  IMDB Rating 7.9 
11. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
An early prominent Product Placement film, who can forget those wonderful Reese's Pieces that E.T. loves so much. Incidentally, it almost went to M&M's.
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People who added this item 766  Average listal rating (519 ratings) 6.8  IMDB Rating 7.5 
12. Knocked Up (2007)
Traffic at mrskin.com exploded and the site after it was such an integral part of the plot in Knocked Up. Clever product placement or just a part of the gag? Either way, Mr. Skin is laughing all the way to the bank.
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People who added this item 1906  Average listal rating (1377 ratings) 6.4  IMDB Rating 6.5 
13. Independence Day (1996)
A Mac laptop is USB-compatible with the Alien mothership. Need I say more?

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People who added this item 1494  Average listal rating (1057 ratings) 6.6  IMDB Rating
14. I, Robot (2004)
Oooh, this movie sucked, but I now have a strange fascination to buy an Audi. Converse shoes and FedEx are also prominent in the film.
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People who added this item 3075  Average listal rating (2030 ratings) 6.9  IMDB Rating 7.4 
15. Spider-Man (2002)
As seen in YouTube Video, Dr. Pepper and Carlsberg were clear major sponsors of this blockbuster hit. And if you think it was a coincidence, I guess the dozens of Dr. Pepper can promos with spider-man graphics must be a coincidence as well.
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People who added this item 161  Average listal rating (101 ratings) 6.7  IMDB Rating 6.8 
16. Fallen (1998)
If a scene is added to a film directly by its advertiser, it sticks out like a sore thumb. Early on, in the bar, Denzel says 'take these foreign beers away and bring us a good ol' American Budweiser!' and a few minutes later, he takes a big chug of the Bud, label in clear view, and says "aahhh!! now THAT'S what I call a beer!"
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People who added this item 621  Average listal rating (401 ratings) 6  IMDB Rating 6.4 
17. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
To have 007 ditch his usual Aston Martin ride and proclaim 'where's the keyz to my beema!' and show off the german car so much, and then top it off with a big action scene specifically written around the new BMW motorbike, Herr Bond, you've gone too far!
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People who added this item 579  Average listal rating (425 ratings) 6  IMDB Rating 6.3 
18. Demolition Man (1993)
In the future, after the 'fast food chain' wars, there is only one restaurant remaining... 'Taco Bell'. God kill us now! :)
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People who added this item 530  Average listal rating (357 ratings) 6.5  IMDB Rating
19. Disturbia (2007)
Xbox and Apple iTunes (more info coming)
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People who added this item 1176  Average listal rating (810 ratings) 6.7  IMDB Rating 7.6 
20. Borat (2006)
This so-called comedy was nothing more than a 90 infomercial for the Tourism Department of Kazakhstan! Shame on you, Borat! :)

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Comments

Posted : 1 year, 8 months ago at Mar 19 14:59
I know it's not a film, but if you ever play the game 'CSI: Hard Evidence' you'll see a whole new wave of product placement. VISA ads on cars, on bilboards, on hotel desks and on the back of tills.
Posted : 1 year, 7 months ago at Mar 31 23:29
Back to the Future. I have never more in my life wanted to drive around in a DeLorean than after watching those films. And wear Calvin Klein.
Posted : 1 year, 7 months ago at Apr 1 14:43
I'm not sure I'd consider Back to Future. DeLorean wasn't ever offered for sale (went bankrupt before the cars hit the market) and the few product placements were more gags and not promotions.
Posted : 1 year, 7 months ago at Apr 3 22:14
Office Space - Toyota and Chevrolet in the opening credits alone, not to mention Swingline stationary!
Posted : 1 year, 7 months ago at Apr 5 7:53
GA, I know you're still bitter that Will Smith sold out to Ford, but your example is a spoof, not true product placement. If its used as comic effect, it don't count on my list. Else I'd have to use the dozens of references found in every Shrek.
Posted : 1 year, 7 months ago at Apr 5 9:08
Who said I, Robot sucked? It didn't suck at all, to me. Well, your hall of shame, not MY hall of shame...
Posted : 1 year, 7 months ago at Apr 5 14:42
Awww Hell Naaw. Although I was expecting him to drive a Yugo when he had any car of his choice, I always knew he was a sell out from the days he sold out to Boeing in Independence Day when he flew an F/A-18 Hornet.
Posted : 1 year, 5 months ago at Jun 2 6:08
Awesome list!! I was going to suggest I Robot, but you got there first. It was like a giant ad for Converse. So many loving close-ups of Will Smith's feet, plus that disgusting "Converse, Vintage 2004!" line.

I thought Ikea in Fight Club was kind of awkwardly placed, although it was directly quoting the book. Fight Club's product placements were all rather negative.

Also, don't know if you've seen it (I may download it; I certainly won't pay for it) but the Sex and the City movie apparently has more product placement than plot.
Posted : 1 year, 5 months ago at Jun 3 23:54
i'm also going to suggest best product placement:

top secret, where a jeep careens toward a ford pinto. the driver brakes and manages to slow it almost to a stop. at very low speed, the jeep slightly nudges the pinto's back bumper, at which point it explodes dramatically.
Posted : 1 year, 5 months ago at Jun 9 19:11
I was playing Burn Out the other day and thought of this list, im about to start a race and it says BUY AXE(Lynx) DEODORANT and has a big can with a "sexy" woman standing next to it.
Posted : 1 year, 4 months ago at Jul 6 20:21
i rewatched Happy Gilmore the other day, and that has product placements GALORE. Especially Subway.
Posted : 1 year, 4 months ago at Jul 7 1:31
Brilliant list!
Posted : 1 year, 2 months ago at Sep 4 20:54
Very informative list and great research!
Posted : 11 months, 4 weeks ago at Nov 28 9:38
very prominent Audi exposure (the R8, along with many other Audi models later in the movie) in Iron Man
Posted : 10 months, 4 weeks ago at Dec 29 6:10
Cracking list - its getting so hard to watch a movie without an advert!
Posted : 4 months, 4 weeks ago at Jun 26 0:28
Another Will Smith product placement is in 'Pursuit of Happyness' - the red Corvette he so wants and of course Rubix Cube - it's making a comeback! Oh, and the letter 'y'... 'i' was pissed off about that decision, but hey, he got all that exposure in 'i, Robot' so he shouldn't complain, assuming 'i' is a male letter.

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Description

Product placement in movies, sadly, is everywhere these days, but all these films go into my Hall of Fame for "Most blatant in-your-face Product Placement"


(click on panda to see how David Lynch feels about Product Placement in movies)

Any additions, leave a comment at bottom of this list. just looking for very prominent takes-your-attention-away-from-film product placements.

This listed is sorted in a rough order of most intrusive product placement.

And I don't mean spoofs of product placement. Those are funny and have a point, such as this clip from Wayne's World:

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